PFAS or “eternal chemicals” – this term covers around 10,000 perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances. These are found in numerous products of daily use, for example outdoor clothing, pans, car seats, paper coatings, cosmetic products and substances for the surface treatment of metals and plastics. The problem is that they can only degrade extremely slowly in the environment, enter the human body and can cause damage, such as liver damage, kidney cancer and elevated cholesterol. So far, only the production and placing on the market of individual substances such as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid, C8) and, from February 25, 2023, perfluorinated carboxylic acids with nine to fourteen carbon atoms (PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA) have been restricted throughout the EU.

On January 13, 2023, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden submitted a proposal to ECHA to completely ban these PFAS in the EU. Their goal: They want to reduce PFAS emissions into the environment and make products and processes safer for people. Now, ECHA’s Scientific Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) must first examine whether the proposal meets REACH requirements. Scientific evaluation will then begin, and the six-month consultation period could start on March 22. Possible restrictions could be in place from 2025. However, there will likely be transition periods ranging from 18 months to 12 years.

While many scientists and the German League for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) welcome the step, there are experts who warn against “scaremongering” and the industry pleads for a separate consideration of the substances and their areas of application instead of a blanket ban. The toxicological effect has not been proven for all of them, and there are often no alternatives, or the possible damage must be compared with the benefits of the substances.

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