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PFOA Officially Regulated Under POPs Regulation

26 Jun 2020
Chemical Beaker

PFOA and its related substances are widely used in the field of industry and consumer goods due to their special properties of heat resistance, chemical resistance, water repellence and anti-grease, etc. However, PFOA is classified as persistent organic pollutants, which will cause irreversible damage to the environment and human health.

In April 2020, the European Commission has amended Annex I of EU's Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1021) to ban PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds.  The Regulation (EU) 2020/784 will take effect on July 4, 2020.  Meanwhile, the European Commission plans to delete the restriction on PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds in Annex XVII to REACH Regulation from July 4, 2020.

On June 15, 2020, the Official Journal of the European Union delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/784 amending Annex I to Regulation 2019/1021, officially include PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds into Annex I of POPs Regulation. Highlights are listed as following:

SubstancesRequirements
PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds
  • PFOA or any of its salts in substances, mixtures or articles ≤0.025 mg/kg
  • Any individual PFOA-related compound or a combination of PFOA-related compounds in substances, mixtures or articles ≤1 mg/kg
  • PFOA-related compounds in a substance to be used as a transported isolated intermediate and fulfilling the strictly controlled conditions set out in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH Regulation) to produce fluorochemicals with a carbon chain equal to or shorter than 6 atoms ≤20 mg/kg. (This exemption shall be reviewed and assessed by the Commission no later than July 5, 2022)
  • PFOA and its salts in PTFE micropowders produced by ionising irradiation of up to 400 kilograys or by thermal degradation as well as in mixtures and articles for industrial and professional uses containing PTFE micropowders ≤1 mg/kg.  (This exemption shall be reviewed and assessed by the Commission no later than July 5, 2022)
Other Exemptions:
1. Set detailed deadlines for certain applications of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds
2. Exemptions previously included in the Annex XVII to REACH Regulation except those among the specifications in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, shall be effective until December 3, 2020.

 
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