EU Adopted New Restrictions on Chemicals to Protect Health and Environment
EU Adopted New Restrictions on Chemicals to Protect Health and Environment The EU Commission has adopted new restrictions on the use of the chemical undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and any related compound under the REACH regulation, taking an important step to protect human health and the environment. Its members belong to the larger chemical family known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, many of which are notorious for their persistence in water and potential risks to both people and ecosystems.
PFHxA is a chemical commonly found in everyday products, from textiles and food packaging to cosmetics and some firefighting foams. The newly adopted restriction aims at the reduction of such uses, for which alternatives are already widely available, without causing any unnecessary economic burden. As the Commission commented, it was evident that human health and environmental benefits far outweigh the costs.
Under the new rule, the sale and use of PFHxA in consumer textiles-most notably waterproof jackets-food packaging, most notably pizza boxes, waterproofing sprays, cosmetics, and certain firefighting foams used in training exercises-will be banned. However, specified essential uses of PFHxA, such as in semiconductors and green hydrogen technologies, will be exempt.
The move was hailed as a major step towards reducing PFAS emissions. That's because PFHxA has routinely been used to replace another banned chemical: perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Based on scientific assessments given by the European Chemicals Agency, also known as ECHA, and gone through the European Parliament and Council, the decision has been taken.
The rule will take legal effect 20 days after the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the EU with transition periods of 18 months to five years, giving industries time to switch to safer alternatives.
The Problem with PFAS
The nickname given to PFAS is "forever chemicals" because they do not degrade in the environment. PFAS have also been blamed for widespread soil and water contamination across the globe, extending even to drinking water. Over the last twenty years, the EU has increasingly taken proactive steps with respect to the risks from PFAS due to its commitment to sustainability and human health.
This new restriction forms part of the wider EU effort to combat PFAS pollution provided for under its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. The Commission is working on further regulations, possibly a universal restriction on all PFAS, currently under review by ECHA following a 2023 submission from five European governments.
This new step shows the latest position of the EU in its serious commitment to the reduction of environmental pollution and assurance of public safety, balancing industries' needs to move towards greener and more sustainable options.