In an article published on December 20, 2017, regulatory news provider Chemical Watch reported on a proposal by the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) to restrict the manufacture, use, and placing on the market of six per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFASs) under REACH. KEMI and UBA submitted the proposal to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) who opened a public consultation on the restriction report until June 20, 2018. ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) are expected to start discussions on the proposal in March 2018.
The restriction proposal concerns the substances perfluoronic acid (PFNA, CAS 375-95-1), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA, CAS 335-76-2), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA, CAS 2058-94-8), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA, CAS 307-55-1), perfluoroethridecanoic acid (PFTrDA, CAS 72629-94-8), and perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA, CAS 376-06-7), “as substances,” “as constituents of other substances,” and “in a mixture.” Further, “articles or any parts thereof containing one of the substances shall not be placed on the market.”
According to KEMI, the scope of the restriction proposal “applies in total to a group of about 200 highly fluorinated substances.” PFASs are used in many products because of their water-, grease-, and dirt-repellent properties. They can be found in firefighting foam, textiles, food packaging, detergents, and cosmetics, KEMI further explained.
Read more
Chemical Watch (December 20, 2017). “Germany and Sweden propose restrictions on six PFASs.”
Lowana Veal (December 20, 2017). “ECHA consults on plan to ban 200 PFAS chemicals.” ENDS Europe
KEMI (December 20, 2017). “Proposal to ban 200 highly fluorinated substances.”
ChemSec (January 3, 2018). “Proposed restriction of 200 PFAS intended to prevent regrettable substitution.“
