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EU: POPs PFOS draft is further revised

DECEMBER 2023 - ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS, HARDLINES, SOFTLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

The European Commission has launched1 a public consultation on the draft amendment of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) under the EU POPs Regulation. The definition of PFOS and its limit values are proposed to be further revised. The consultation will close on 1 January 2024.

Back in 2022, several drafts2 were released to amend the requirements for PFOA, PFOS3, PCB, and HBCDD under the EU POPs, and to newly list PFHxS as POPs. PFOS was the first regulated per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under Annex I of the EU POPs Regulation and its limit values were set a long time ago. The Commission would like to align the limit values and wordings for PFOS with those for PFOA, as the usage of both substances is similar. Table A shows a comparison between the current requirements and recent draft proposal.

Table A. Comparison between current and proposed EU PFOS requirements

Parameters Current Proposal
Substances

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) C8F17SO2X (X = OH, Metal salt (O-M+), halide, amide, and other derivatives including polymers).

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and PFOS-related compounds C8F17SO2X (X = OH, Metal salt (O-M+), halide, amide, and other related compounds including polymers).
Limit Value

PFOS and its derivatives

  • Substances, mixtures: ≤ 10 mg/kg;
  • Semi-finished products or articles or parts: < 0.1% by weight;
  • Mass of structurally or micro-structurally distinct parts that contain PFOS or, for textiles or other coated materials: < 1µg/m2

PFOS and its salts

  • Substances, mixtures and articles: 
    ≤ 0.025 mg/kg
  • PFOS-related compounds:
    Substances, mixtures and articles:
    ≤ 1 mg/kg (sum)

Test method

CEN standards should be used

Removed

Exemption

The use of PFOS as mist suppressant for non-decorative hard chromium (VI) plating.

Removed

 

[1] Public consultation of PFOS 

[2] TÜV SÜD E-ssentials volume 15, 2022

[3] Previous draft revision of PFOS

 

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E-SSENTIALS 9 | 2023