TAGS: Sustainability and Bioplastics
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in many application segments for more than 60 years.
PFAS are composed of carbon and fluorine atoms arranged in specific patterns, resulting in very strong carbon-fluorine bonds that make these compounds extremely stable and resistant to degradation.
Subsequently, PFAS have been known and used for their very particular set of properties including outstanding heat and chemical resistance.
Have questions about PFAS? Read on to find the answers:
- Why is PFAS a concern?
- What is the EU Commission's proposal for PFAS restriction?
- Are there any consequences associated with the new restrictions?
- Which applications are suitable or exempted from this restriction?
- What should be the next step in the selection of PFAS alternatives?
#1. Why is PFAS a concern?
Despite their stability and excellent performance in various industrial and commercial applications, PFAS have raised concerns about their potential health and environmental impacts. What gives PFAS their desirable properties is also the reason for their potentially harmful impact on the environment and health.
Due to their strong carbon-fluorine bonds:
- PFAS do not break down easily through natural processes (i.e., heat, light, microbial action)
- They are extremely resistant to degradation.
Therefore, once released into the environment, they can persist for a very long time, potentially for decades or more. That is why PFAS are often referred to as "
forever chemicals".
Major environmental concerns are contamination of soils, water, and ecosystem disruption by bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. Feared health effects include developmental and reproductive problems, immune system dysfunction, etc.
Environmental and Health Concerns of PFAS
#2. What is the EU Commission's proposal for PFAS restriction?
There have been efforts to regulate the use of PFAS compounds and to manage their presence in the environment. The use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have already been phased out in some countries, like:
- Banned under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.
- Their use is reduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States.
The new EU restriction proposal considers that the PFAS must be regulated all together in the same way. It aims at a ban on the use and production of all PFAS in the EU. The proposal was prepared by five European countries Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, and officially submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in January 2023.
Looking for PFAS alternatives? Explore all
PFAS-free grades offered by various suppliers.
Which specific PFAS substances are targeted in the proposal?
The definition is very broad and might impact more than 10 000 compounds, according to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA):
“Any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom (without any H/CI/Br/I attached to it).”
When can the restrictions come into effect?
Unless new decisions are made by the EU Commission, the initial proposal says, "
if the restriction becomes effective, the import and the manufacturing of PFAS will be banned in Europe within 18 months of its implementation."
Time frame for the Restrictions to Come Into Effect
#3. Are there any consequences associated with the new restrictions?
The specific economic consequences would depend on the details and timeline of restrictions, as well as the industries that will be affected. The potential impact could presumably include changes in the raw material sourcing and production processes, as well as costly research and development to find alternative materials that meet performance and regulatory standards.
Another foreseeable change is the shift of users' and consumers’ preferences towards PFAS-free materials.
You can read our blogpost: 4 reasons why you must speed up the offering of PFAS substitutes (following new legal restriction talks).
What is the impact of this restriction on fluoropolymers?
All fluoropolymers are classed as PFAS compounds since they are produced from PFAS monomers. For example:
These fluoropolymers will subsequently be impacted if the ban becomes effective with no specific exemptions.
#4. Which applications are suitable or exempted from this restriction?
The outstanding properties of PFAS have led to their widespread use in a wide range of industries including mobility/transportation, processing industries, aerospace, food packaging, medical, electronics, etc. They are used in various applications such as:
- In liners for valves, piping, and membranes for filtering and venting purposes. In fluid handling applications that are corrosion-resistant and allow operations in harsh environments. In chemical processing, like chloralkali processes, nuclear industry fluid handling, filtration, and gas sampling.
- In hydraulic systems, fuel lines, hoses (automotive, aeronautics), and other components that protect against evaporative vapors and provide thermal resistance. PFAS are highly chemical-resistant and ensure near-zero leakage parts in o-rings, gaskets, and sealing items operating in extreme service conditions.
- In electronic systems (like microelectronics, data storage devices, and semiconductor packaging), they provide corrosion resistance to process chemicals, reduce leakage, and act against impurity, humidity, and gases (i.e., organic outgassing).
- In coatings for tapes, processing belts, wires, cables (like power and data cable insulation), nonstick cookware (like teflon pans), exterior surface coatings (like aerospace coatings), etc. They are also used in battery binders, bridges, and offshore bearing pads.
- In medical packaging, implantable medical devices (like catheters, grafts, patches, and pumps), and items that need sterilization. They are used in stain, water, and grease repellents in waterproof clothing, upholstery, carpets, and food packaging.
- In personal care products (like cosmetics and lotions) that might contain PFAS for their water- and oil-resistant properties.
Application exemptions
- There are options for a few time-limited derogations (maximum up to 12 years depending on the application) — In textiles for personal protective equipment, industrial filtration, refrigerants, cleaning fluids, additives to hydraulic fluids, lubricants, and insulation gas.
- A different set of derogations is provided for fluoropolymers in several cases — In some medical devices, food production, proton-exchange membranes in fuel cells, and the petroleum and mining industries.
- The applications of fluoropolymers that have not been included in the initial proposal’s derogations — In batteries for EVs, equipment such as seals, gaskets, tubing, wire & cable, electronics, and semiconductor manufacturing, etc.
It is unclear if new exemptions will be decided by the EU in the following months, especially for applications where PFAS substitutes are not available or where safety concerns are less pronounced.
#5. What should be the next step in the selection of PFAS alternatives?
4 reasons why you must speed up the offering of PFAS substitutes (following new legal restriction talks).
