NEWS
Controversy surround ECHA ’ s PFAS restriction proposal
The European Chemicals Agency ( ECHA ) has published a proposed restriction of around 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS ) on its website .
This followed three years of investigations by the national authorities of Denmark , Germany , the Netherlands , Norway and Sweden . In a report submitted to ECHA on 13 January , they concluded that the risks from PFAS are not adequately controlled and should therefore be restricted .
All PFAS in the scope of the proposal are very persistent in the environment , hence the name ‘ forever chemicals ’. It is estimated that around 4.4 million tonnes would end up in the environment over the next 30 years unless action is taken , ECHA stated .
Uses in consumer products would be banned 18 months after a restriction comes into place where an alternative is available . Where an alternative is available , such as in medical implants and food industry machinery , exemptions of five to 12 years may be granted . .
The proposal defines PFAS as “ any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (– CF 3
) or methylene (– CF 2
–) carbon atom ( without any H / Cl / Br / I attached to it ).” It also says the restricting the entire class “ is the most appropriate and effective option to adequately control such a large and complex group of substances which are used in numerous applications ”.
ECHA ’ s scientific committees for Risk Assessment ( RAC ) and Socio-Economic Analysis ( SEAC ) will check that the proposal meets the legal requirements of REACH this month and will then evaluate the proposal in terms of the human and environmental impacts and socio-economic impacts . This process usually takes about one year . A six-month public consultation will start on 22 March .
Between the report and the publishing of the proposal , NGO ChemSec added 370 PFAS to its SIN ( Substitute It Now ) List , taking the total to 416 . The SIN List is a list of hazardous chemicals widely used in products and manufacturing
processes and is used to identify chemicals for substitution . The current update is one of the largest ever .
“ We want to make clear that we think every single PFAS should be phased out , no matter how many they are . But what this update aims for is to narrow them down to the most relevant couple of hundred substances for companies to keep track of ”, said Dr Anna Lennquist , senior toxicologist at ChemSec and SIN List project leader .
Industry , which has argued for case-by-case rather than blanket restrictions has warned of potential supply issues , with Chemours warning of “ severe global disruption ” in many industries . The company has coincidentally just unveiled its roadmap for next-generation thermal management systems .
This comprises three ‘ horizons ’ of commercial product adoption , new blend development collaboration and nextgeneration product development , all of which are already underway . “ We are committed to fluorine chemistry and its power to enable world-changing technologies ,” said Alisha Bellezza , president of Thermal & Specialized Solutions .
Similarly , Arkema argued that the EU “ should adopt a scientific approach based more on risks to human health and no longer use persistence as the sole criterion ”. Having eliminated fluorosurfactants from all of its manufacturing processes bar one at the Pierre-Bénite site , which will also cease to use them by the end of 2024 , the company said it “ does not understand why fluoropolymers produced without fluorosurfactants are not exempted ”.
Arkema ’ s own fluoropolymers are considered not to pose risks to human health , have a favourable ( eco ) toxicological profile and meet the OECD definition for polymers of low concern . In addition , it said , many of the fluoropolymers and low-warming potential fluorogases covered by the restriction are of strategic importance for the transition to renewable energy . The company remains committed to these products and will participate in the consultation to defend them .
6 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981