The European project to universally restrict all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is led by five countries (Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) and supported by France, which published its first action plan on “eternal pollutants” on January 17th must be submitted by the European Commission to the member states by 2025. As a first step in this process, Brussels has opened a public consultation.Placed under the aegis of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), it is must take place from March 22nd until 25.09.
The consultation is open to all stakeholders (companies, states, associations, citizens, etc.) and aims to collect “scientific and technical information on the manufacture, marketing and use of PFAS” associated with numerous adverse health effects ECHA’s scientific committees responsible for risk assessment and socio-economic analysis will use the results of the consultation to assess the restriction proposal and issue an opinion.
Two options are on the table today: a ban without exceptions with a transitional period of eighteen months and a ban with exceptions of up to five or even twelve years so that manufacturers can find other solutions.
A variety of items with non-stick properties
The most important manufacturers and users of PFAS are already preparing their arguments to take action against the global ban and obtain exceptions. This is particularly true in the field of so-called “high performance” plastics made from PFAS, the so-called fluoropolymers, of which Teflon – which equips Tefal stoves in particular – is the best known.
Used in the manufacture of a variety of items with non-stick, stain-resistant, water-repellent, and high-temperature resistant properties, they would be both “substantially” and “not materially impacting on human health” through the services they provide to society. or the environment,” says the terms of the Fluoropolymers Product Group, a lobbying organization that defends the interests of chemical giants (DuPont, 3M, Daikin Chemicals, Solvay, or Arkema) and directly opposes a global ban project. Under threat of thousands of complaints in In the USA, the American company 3M has nevertheless announced that it will stop producing PFAS by the end of 2025.
To Explore: “Perpetual Pollutants”: Explore the European map of PFAS contamination
A collective of around a hundred non-governmental organizations published a manifesto on March 14 calling on the European Union to completely ban PFAS in consumer products (Teflon pans, baking paper, food packaging, textiles, cosmetics, etc.) by 2025 and by 2030, according to estimates by the five European countries at the initiative of the ban project, at the current production and use rate of PFAS in Europe, this amounts to 4.4 million tons of “perennial pollutants” that will be released into the environment if nothing is done.