On May 11, 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that five European government authorities have launched a public call for information to inform a restriction proposal on the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Authorities from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are preparing a joint restriction proposal under the REACH regulation “to limit the risks to the environment and human health from the manufacture and use of a wide range of PFAS.” The call for information is open until the end of July 2020 and is specifically targeting companies that produce or use PFAS, sell mixtures or products containing PFAS, or produce alternatives to PFAS. Stakeholders from across the entire supply chain are invited to participate, as well as academic scientists and non-governmental organizations.
The consultation is in the form of an online questionnaire that “is intended to generate data and knowledge with regard to PFAS and their uses in order to decide on the initial chemical scope as well as the use scope of a restriction proposal,” and it “further aims at understanding for which of the PFAS in scope chemical alternatives or technical replacements exist, voluntary measures or substitution processes etc. are ongoing.”
Read more
ECHA (May 11, 2020). “Five European states call for evidence on broad PFAS restriction.”
Vanessa Zainzinger (May 12, 2020). “European authorities to prepare joint EU-wide PFAS restriction proposal.” Chemical Watch
Keller and Heckman LLP (May 21, 2020). “Five European Countries to Propose PFASs REACH Restriction; Request Comments.”
Leila Mead (July 14, 2020). “Five Countries Collaborate to Inform Stakeholders on Endocrine Disruptors.” IISD
Reference
Agency consortium (May 2020). “Call for evidence supporting an analysis of restriction options for PFAS.”
