EU REACH – Proposal to add PFOA to Annex XVII

Vol. 936 | 17 Nov 2016

The European Commission issued a draft regulation to add the restriction on Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related substances to Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

PFOA and its salts and PFOA-related substances are used in a wide variety of applications such as in fluoropolymer and fluoroelastomer production, as surfactants in fire-fighting foams and in textile and paper production to provide water, grease, oil and/or dirt repellency.

The restrictions on PFOA and related substances are highlighted as below:

• shall not be manufactured or placed on the market as substance on their own form.
• shall not be used in a concentration equal to or above 25 ppb of PFOA including its salts or 1000 ppb of one or a combination of PFOA-related substances in the production of, or placed on the market in
  • Another substance, as a constituent;
  • A mixture;
  • An article, or any part thereof

The restriction will be effective 3 years after the date of entry into force of this regulation.

Exemptions for the article, or any part are highlighted as below:

• Implantable medical devices within the scope of 93/42/EEC
• Films, papers or printing plates coated with the photographic coatings
• Compound semiconductors with photo-lithography processes or in etching processes.

Note:
PFOA is identified as a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substance (PBT) and was included in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in 2013.

For more information, please contact:

John Wong
john.wong@intertek.com
852 2173 8637