EU - Consultation of PFOA Restriction Limit

​This proposed act concerns perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds (included in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (POP Regulation)). It amends the PFOA concentration as an unintentional trace contaminant (UTC) in substances, mixtures and articles, and removes a specific exemption that is no longer needed in the EU.

Annex I to the POP Regulation includes a UTC limit for PFOA and its salt in PTFE micropowders of 1 mg/kg, to be reviewed by July 5, 2022. ECHA's Committees concluded that processes have been developed to reduce the concentration of PFOA to below the generic UTC level of 0.025 mg/kg (25 ppb) set out in the POPs Regulation. These processes have been successfully implemented by most PTFE micropowder manufacturers. The remaining manufacturers would be able to comply with the limit of 0.025 mg/kg by July 5, 2022.

Furthermore, fluoropolymer manufacturers have developed alternatives to PFOA and related long-chain polymerization aids that can be used for the production of all types of fluoropolymers, regardless of their final application. Therefore, the Commission also considers to remove the exemption for the use of PFOA to produce PTFE and PVDF for several applications as it is no longer needed.​

This draft act is open for feedback for 4 weeks until June 14, 2022.