ECHA Makes Progress on PFAS Restriction Proposal: Key Sectors under Review

At their June meetings, the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) have evaluated four key sectors and made provisional conclusions on the impact of the EU-wide proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for these sectors. The committees also announced the program for the next sectors to be evaluated and concluded provisionally on the scope of the restriction proposal and the hazards of PFAS.

Sectors evaluated at the June Meeting

At the June meetings, RAC and SEAC reached provisional conclusions on the following sectors:

• Consumer mixtures, cosmetics, and ski wax (initially discussed in the March plenary).

• Metal plating and the manufacture of metal products (discussed in June).

These conclusions remain provisional until the committees complete the evaluation of the entire restriction proposal, encompassing all sectors of use, and formally adopt their opinions. Once finalized, these opinions will be communicated to the public.

Planned Sector Evaluations

Looking ahead, RAC and SEAC have announced the next sectors to be evaluated in upcoming meetings. In September, the focus will be on:

• Textiles, upholstery, leather, apparel, and carpets (TULAC)

• Food contact materials and packaging

• Petroleum and mining

Following the September evaluations, the committees will consider:

• Applications of fluorinated gases

• Transport

• Construction products

PFAS Hazards and Scope               

The RAC also provisionally concluded on the overall scope of the restriction proposal and the hazards posed by PFAS. A primary concern highlighted by the committee is the persistence of PFAS in the environment, which means these substances can remain for a very long time. Additionally, certain PFAS may pose further risks to both the environment and human health. RAC expressed concerns that excluding specific PFAS from the restriction based on their potential environmental degradation is not sufficiently justified.

ECHA’s Commitment to Progress

ECHA is committed to advancing the opinion-making process, in line with updates made to the proposal by five national authorities. The finalized opinions will be submitted to the European Commission as soon as possible.