February 23, 2022, ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) brings forward a proposal for an EU-wide restriction on all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in firefighting foams. The restriction would prevent further groundwater and soil contamination and health risks for people and the environment.
The main content of the proposal is to ban all PFAS for firefighting foam from the market, use and export after a specific transition period. ECHA plans to conduct a 6-month public consultation on this proposal on March 23, 2022. The ECHA Scientific Committee on Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis will evaluate the proposal in conjunction with the scientific evidence received during the consultation, and the European Commission will combine the proposal and the committee's opinion makes a formal decision on whether to include REACH restrictions.
Additionally, five European countries (The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) are working on a restriction proposal that will cover all PFASs in other uses. They are planning to submit their proposal to ECHA in January 2023. The EU’s Sustainable Chemicals Strategy puts PFAS policy front and centre. The European Commission has committed to phasing out all PFASs, allowing their use only where they prove to be irreplaceable and essential to society.
Background
PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds) are composed of thousands of substances that are persistent, PFAS are persistent, long-range transportable, toxic and bioaccumulative and currently detected in many animal and human blood samples worldwide of perfluorinated compounds.
The harm of per fluorinated compounds to humans and the environment has attracted extensive attention from relevant countries and international organizations, and more and more perfluorinated compounds have been included or are about to be included in regulations. PFOA, PFOS, PFHxA, PFHxS, C9-C14 PFCAs, etc. all belong to PFAS.
Common perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl compounds control requirements
Items | Main control requirements |
PFAS | REACH restricted substances proposed by Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark: Restrictions on the production and use of PFAS substances. Latest progress: A restriction proposal is being developed, no comments yet. |
US packaging TPCH: Prohibited. | |
California AB 652: prohibit the intentional use of PFAS in teen products after July 1, 2023, requiring less than 100ppm (in total organic fluorine). | |
PFOS and its derivatives | EU POPs regulations: Substances/mixtures≤10ppm, articles <1000ppm, textiles or coated materials <1ug/m2. |
China POPs (PFOS and its salts and PFOSF): From March 26, 2014, the production, circulation, use and import and export of PFOS and its salts and PFOSF are prohibited except for specific exemptions and acceptable uses. | |
| EU POPs regulations: The content of PFOA and its salts in substances, mixtures or articles is less than or equal to 0.025mg/kg; the individual or total PFOA-related substances in substances, mixtures or articles ≤ 1mg/kg. |
Japan's Chemical Review Law (PFOA and its salts): From October 22, 2021, the production, import or use of PFOA and its salts is prohibited, and the import of specific products containing PFOA and its salts is prohibited | |
| Item 68 of REACH Regulations Restrictions: The sum of C9-C14 PFCAs and their salts in substances, mixtures or articles is less than 25 ppb, and the sum of C9-C14 PFCAs related substances is less than 260 ppb. |
REACH regulations SVHC substances (C9-C14PFCAs): If the SVHC content in the article exceeds 0.1%, information transfer, SCIP notification or REACH-SVHC notification is required. | |
PFHxS and its salts and related substances | Substances reviewed in REACH Regulations Restrictions: PFHxS and its salt content in substances, mixtures and articles <25ppb, and the sum of PFHxS related substances <1000ppb. Update: Proposal has been accepted, no formal resolution has been issued. |
| Substances reviewed in REACH Regulations Restrictions: PFHxA and its salt content in substances, mixtures and articles <25ppb, and the sum of PFHxA related substances <1000ppb. Update: Proposal has been accepted, no formal resolution has been issued. |
| TSCA Significant New Use (SNUR) Regulations: Notify EPA. |