EU - The Restriction of Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (PFCA) and Their Salts Now Under REACH

​The restriction of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA) containing 9 to 14 carbon atoms in the chain, their salts and their related substances are now restricted under REACH Regulation. They are:

They were all included in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and are considered to have toxic for reproduction, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT), very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties. 

As the restrictions on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (C8) have been enacted in the EU, C9 to C14 PFCA and their related substances may be used as substitutes for PFOA which may result in a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, Germany and Sweden together made a restriction proposal regarding the manufacture and use of such substances in 2017 to prevent them from releasing into the environment.

The restriction entry sets a limit of 25 ppb (the sum of the six PFCAs and their salts) or 260 ppb (the sum of C9-C14 PFCA-related substances) in substance, mixture and article, effective February 25, 2023, except for certain applications, for example

- textiles for oil- and water-repellency for the protection of workers from dangerous liquids that comprise risks to their health and safety, effective July 4, 2023

- the manufacture of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for certain production, e.g. gas filter membrane, membrane for medical textile, etc, effective July 4, 2023

- photolithography or etch processes in semiconductor manufacturing, effective July 4, 2025

- photographic coatings applied to films, effective July 4, 2025

- invasive and implantable medical devices, effective July 4, 2025

- pressurized metered-dose inhalers, effective August 25, 2028

- semiconductors and electronic equipment containing such semiconductors​, effective December 31, 2023