European officials announced that they will begin an intensive investigation of the compound next month.
Since 2012, DuPont, and now Chemours, has been using GenX at plants in the United States and elsewhere to make non-stick Teflon and other products.
Critics say GenX is no safer than C8 — also known as perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA — which DuPont used for decades before investigations and lawsuits involving the chemical forced the company to halt production.
In Europe, companies must register chemicals with the European Chemicals Agency. Because initial tests of GenX were inconclusive, Germany is leading a study that is to begin in March; the Netherlands is joining the study.