Trilene · Fishing Line
BERKLEY TRILENE BIG GAME
Fishing line carries minimal PFAS concern; primary worry is microplastic shed, not forever chemicals.
Berkley Trilene Big Game is a nylon monofilament fishing line with no known PFAS-based coatings or treatments. Nylon itself (polyamide) does not inherently contain PFAS, though some specialty fishing lines use Teflon-family coating treatments for water repellency.
Shop Trilene on Amazon →Material
monofilament nylon fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
other is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Berkley Trilene Big Game is extruded monofilament nylon (typically nylon 6 or nylon 6.6), a thermoplastic polymer with no intentional additive load beyond UV absorbers and colorants. The manufacturing process for monofilament involves heating and drawing the polymer to align molecular chains, which creates strength but offers no opportunity for lead, cadmium, or ceramic coatings to be incorporated as they would be in cookware. Nylon itself is chemically stable at room temperature and during typical fishing use; the line does not leach into water or food.
The brand's record and disclosure
Berkley (owned by Pure Fishing, part of Purina/Nestlé) has not published specific safety certifications, material disclosures, or sustainability statements for Trilene line beyond standard marketing claims of durability and castability. The brand has no known recalls or public safety controversies tied to Trilene monofilament. Like most fishing line manufacturers, Berkley has remained largely silent on PFAS and microplastic concerns, treating fishing line as a performance product rather than a health or environmental safety category.
How it compares in its category
Trilene Big Game sits in the mainstream monofilament segment, chemically indistinguishable from competitors like Spiderwire or Stren in terms of raw hazard profile. All monofilament fishing lines shed microplastics when abraded or degraded in water; this is a category-wide issue, not a Berkley-specific defect. Braided and fluorocarbon alternatives exist but carry their own tradeoffs (braided lines may include Teflon-type coating; fluorocarbon is denser and slower to biodegrade). Monofilament remains the safest chemical choice for the angler handling the product directly.
If you buy it
Store the line indoors away from direct UV exposure to slow degradation and microplastic release over time. Do not heat-treat or attempt to sterilize monofilament; nylon degrades above 80-90°C and will release volatile compounds. Replace line every 1-2 seasons depending on use frequency, as older line becomes brittle and sheds fragments more readily. Dispose of spent line in the trash, not in water; recycling infrastructure for monofilament does not widely exist, making landfill disposal the harm-reduction choice.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Microplastic shedding
All monofilament fishing lines shed nylon microfibers and particles during casting, abrasion, and natural UV/thermal degradation in freshwater and marine environments. This is a mechanical and environmental hazard, not a chemical one in the product as manufactured.
UV and thermal degradation byproducts
Nylon monofilament can release trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oligomers if exposed to prolonged heat or UV without adequate stabilizer packages, though Berkley's formulation includes UV absorbers. Typical use (storage indoors, handling at room temperature) poses minimal risk.
Colorant and additive safety
Berkley does not disclose the identity of pigments or UV stabilizers in Trilene Big Game. Standard nylon monofilament uses approved colorants (e.g., iron oxides, carbon black) that are unlikely to leach or cause dermal irritation at the low contact levels fishing line creates.
Bioaccumulation in aquatic food webs
Monofilament fragments lost or discarded in water do not chemically bioaccumulate but can be ingested by fish and wildlife, causing entanglement or internal blockage. This is a physical hazard exacerbated by disposal practice, not product formulation.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Fishing Line
Stren
Original
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Lower PFAS concern for a fishing line product; no coating or treatment typical of PFAS carriers.
⚠Risky category by default
Maxima
Ultragreen One Shot
Lubricant/chain oil (mineral or synthetic base)
Lower PFAS concern for a chain lubricant; minimal Teflon-family coating/waterproofing risk profile.
⚠Risky category by default
Seaguar
Blue Label
Fluorocarbon fishing line (monofilament)
Fluorocarbon fishing line may contain PFAS; insufficient public data to grade definitively.
⚠Risky category by default
More fishing line grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.