In September 2020, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) will host a series of four webinars with presentations from independent academic experts on the uses and presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The presentations are set to provide viewers with an overview of the chemical class including their structures, toxicological data, measurement techniques, and approaches for defining essential uses. Referring to the EU’s upcoming chemicals strategy (FPF reported), EEB writes that “with the EU set to announce the most wide-reaching reform of chemical safety laws in over a decade, including a PFAS action plan [(FPF reported)] and ECHA restriction proposals [(FPF reported)], understanding this dense field is more crucial than ever.” Registration for each of the webinars is free, and space is limited.
EEB has further published a short overview report on PFAS based on information from “REACH registrations of PFASs, independent literature, technical information from producers and general chemical knowledge to sketch the landscape of which types of PFASs are most prevalent in products and likely lead to highest environmental pressures.” It concludes that the types of PFAS that should be prioritized for careful management are fluorotelomer substances, the side-chain fluorinated polymers (SCFPs) they yield, and fluorinated (poly)ethers.
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EEB (September 1, 2020). “Europe’s PFAS problem: situation briefings by independent experts.”
EEB (July 15, 2020). “PFASs –avoiding the streetlight effect.”
