EU - ECHA Publishes PFAS Restriction Proposal

​The proposal was prepared by authorities in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden and submitted to ECHA on January 13, 2023. It aims to reduce per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) emissions into the environment and make products and processes safer for people.

The details of the proposed restriction of around 10,000 PFAS are now available on ECHA's website. ECHA's scientific committees will now start evaluating the proposal in terms of the risks to people and the environment, and the impact on society. 

All PFASs in the scope of the proposal are very persistent in the environment. If their releases are not minimized, people, plants and animals will be increasingly exposed, and without a restriction, such levels will be reached that have negative effects on people’s health and the environment. The authorities estimate that around 4.4 million tones of PFASs would end up in the environment over the next 30 years unless action is taken.

ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will check that the proposal meets the legal requirements of REACH in their meetings in March 2023. If it does, the committees will begin their scientific evaluation of the proposal. A six-month consultation is planned to start on March 22, 2023.​