October 8, 2021
The European Commission has added a new restriction on perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) to Entry 68 of the Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Annex XVII. The restriction will be applicable as of Feb. 25, 2023. Specific derogations are appropriate for some products.
The table below lists key details of the legislative text:
Source: Official Journal of the European Union
PFCAs consist of a wide variety of substances, including those noted in the candidate list of substances of very high concern, as seen in the table below. Others have been evaluated as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction and are listed in Annex VI of the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation No 1272/2008.
Moreover, the following substances are listed under Annex VI to the CLP Regulation of the European Parliament as carcinogenic, category 2, and toxic to reproduction, category 1B:
- Perfluorononan-1-oic acid (PFNA) containing nine carbon atoms in the chain, as well as sodium and ammonium salts
- Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) containing ten carbon atoms in the chain, as well as sodium and ammonium salts
Impact on the consumer products industry
This news is particularly relevant for products with water or oil repellant treatments in which these substances are more likely to be present. It is crucial that manufacturers verify these substances’ presence to help ensure compliance with the new European restrictions.
How UL can help
With broad expertise and a global network of state-of-the-art chemical laboratories, UL can help consumer product manufacturers verify the compliance of their articles to the EU’s latest legislation and requirements. Contact us to learn more.
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