UBA submits joint EU restriction proposal for around 10,000 PFAS substances
Extended restriction of these chemicals planned for 2025
After perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), the manufacture, use and import of around 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are to be newly restricted or even banned throughout the EU. The German Environment Agency (UBA) submitted a corresponding proposal together with authorities from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in January 2023. The proposal is now available on ECHA's website.
PFAS are chemicals with a wide range of applications, including in non-stick coatings, fire-fighting foams, textiles and food packaging. Due to their extreme persistence in the environment and their harmful effects on human health, they are also known as "forever chemicals". Their production and use have been restricted in the EU for more than 10 years under the EU's Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation. However, since PFAS can be broken down into other PFAS in the environment, the restriction of individual substances has proven to be insufficient to effectively reduce the risks posed by these chemicals.
The proposed restriction is intended to close this loophole. It covers all PFAS substances that meet certain criteria, regardless of whether they have been intentionally produced or are formed as a result of the breakdown of other PFAS. The restriction will apply to the manufacture, use and import of these substances. Exemptions are only provided for essential uses, such as in the semiconductor industry or medical technology, for which there are currently no suitable alternatives.
If the European Commission follows the proposal of the five EU countries, the new restriction could enter into force as early as 2025. The UBA welcomes this step as an important contribution to protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by PFAS.
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