The European project for a universal restriction of all per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is supported by five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) and has received backing from France, which unveiled its first action plan on “forever chemicals” on January 17. It will be submitted by the European Commission to the member states by 2025. As a first step in the process, Brussels has opened two public consultations. The first is on the restriction proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and will be held from March 22 to September 25.
Open to all stakeholders (companies, states, associations, citizens and so on), the consultation aims to collect “scientific and technical information on the manufacture, placement on the market and use of PFAS,” which are associated with numerous harmful effects on health, including cancer, reduced immune function and reduced vaccine efficiency. ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis will use the results of the consultation to evaluate the proposed restriction and formulate an opinion.
Two options are now under consideration, a ban without exemptions with a transition period of 18 months or a ban with certain exemptions of up to five or even 12 years, to allow manufacturers to find other solutions.
A multitude of objects with non-stick properties
The biggest manufacturers and users of PFAS are already preparing their arguments to oppose the global ban and obtain exemptions. This is particularly true of the so-called “high performance” plastics sector, which use PFAS known as fluoropolymers, of which Teflon – used in T-fal cookware – is the most famous.
Used in the manufacture of a multitude of objects with non-stick, stain-repellant, waterproof and high-temperature resistant properties, they are said to be both “essential” for the services they provide to society and to have “no significant impact on human health or the environment,” according to the Fluoropolymers Product Group, a lobbying organization that defends the interests of the chemical giants (DuPont, 3M, Daikin Chemicals, Solvay and Arkema) and is directly opposed to the proposed global ban. Faced by thousands of complaints in the United States, the American company 3M has nevertheless announced that it will stop PFAS production by the end of 2025.
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On March 14, a group of regarding 100 NGOs published a manifesto asking the European Union to ban PFAS in consumer products (Teflon-coated pans, baking paper, food packaging, textiles, cosmetics, etc.) by 2025 and completely by 2030. According to the estimates of the five European states that initiated the project to ban them, at the current rate of production and use of PFAS in Europe, 4.4 million tons of “forever chemicals” will be released into the environment over the next 30 years if nothing is done.
