Reference source : Swedish Government
PFAS National Restriction Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sweden Consumer Products Cosmetic Products Environmental Protection Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
On 23 July 2026, the Swedish government published a proposal to introduce a national restriction on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in selected consumer products. The proposal has been released for public consultation, with comments being accepted until 30 November 2026. If adopted, the new rules will enter into force on 1 January 2028. According to the government, this measure is intended to reduce PFAS emissions ahead of the proposed EU-wide PFAS restriction currently under development under the REACH Regulation.
Scope of the Proposed Restriction
The proposed restriction would prohibit the supply of the following products to consumers on the Swedish market if they contain PFAS above specified concentration limits:
The proposal would only apply where equivalent restrictions are not already in place under EU legislation, including the REACH Regulation or the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation. Once corresponding EU restrictions enter into force, the national measures are intended to cease applying.
Proposed PFAS Limits
The proposal adopts the concentration limits currently proposed in the draft EU REACH restriction on PFAS:
|
PFAS concentration |
Proposed limit |
|
Individual non-polymeric PFAS |
25 µg/kg |
|
Sum of all non-polymeric PFAS (including degradation products from precursors) |
250 µg/kg |
|
Total PFAS |
50 mg/kg |
For kitchen utensils, the limits would apply only to parts intended to come into contact with food. Where the total fluorine content exceeds 50 mg/kg, it would be presumed to originate from PFAS, unless the supplier can demonstrate that it comes from non-PFAS substances.
Exemptions
The proposal includes several exemptions, including:
These exemptions are intended to support product reuse, recycling and essential safety applications where alternatives may not yet be available.
Background
The government states that the proposed EU-wide PFAS restriction is unlikely to become applicable for several more years due to the complexity of the legislative process. Sweden therefore proposes introducing national measures to reduce PFAS emissions in the interim. This proposal has been developed using the ongoing EU REACH restriction proposal as its basis, including the proposed concentration limits proposed at EU level.
The proposal also notes that Denmark and France have already adopted national PFAS restrictions covering certain consumer products, while the EU restriction is still being developed.
Next Steps
The consultation is open until 30 November 2026. Following consideration of stakeholder comments, the government intends for the amended regulations to enter into force on 1 January 2028.
