ECHA seeks input on proposed PFAS restriction

ECHA/NR/23/08

The European Chemicals Agency invites interested parties to send in scientific and technical information on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by 25 September 2023.

Helsinki, 22 March 2023 – The six-month consultation on the restriction proposal, prepared by the Danish, German, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish authorities, opens on 22 March 2023 and closes on 25 September 2023 (23:59 Helsinki time).

The consultation is to give anyone with information on PFAS the opportunity to have their say. Of particular interest is information relevant to the risks, socio-economic aspects, and alternative substances.

ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will use the consultation input to evaluate the proposed restriction and to form an opinion on it.

An online information session will be held on 5 April from 11:00 to 13:00 Helsinki time. During the session, experts from ECHA and the five national authorities will explain the restriction process, the content of the proposal and how to participate in the consultation. They will also respond to questions from the participants.

The session will be held in English and can be viewed directly from ECHA’s homepage without registration. Questions can be sent to the expert panel in advance of the session through this link.

The five national authorities submitted the universal proposal to restrict PFAS to ECHA on 13 January. The European Commission, together with the EU Member States, will eventually decide on the potential restriction based on the proposal and the committees’ opinion.

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A separate 60-day consultation of SEAC’s draft opinion concerning ECHA’s proposal to ban the placing on the market, use and formulation of all PFAS in firefighting foams is open from 15 March until 15 May 2023. Make sure that you submit information concerning firefighting foams in this consultation.