Registry of restriction intentions until outcome

The registry of restriction intentions until outcome lists the intentions and Annex XV restriction proposals received by ECHA.

A restriction proposal may be prepared by a Member State or by ECHA at the request of the Commission or on its own initiative for substances in the Authorisation List. It is a legal requirement for a Member State to notify ECHA of its intention to prepare a restriction dossier. The advance notice enables interested parties to plan and prepare for commenting later on.

Interested parties can follow the progress of a proposal through the restriction process, from the notification of the intention to the adoption of the final opinions by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC), and the adoption of the restriction by the European Commission.

Stakeholders are encouraged to submit any relevant information to the dossier submitters during the preparation of the restriction proposal and during the consultations. Information to motivate any exemptions to the scope described in the intention is particularly useful to receive in the preparatory phase of the dossier.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

EC / List no: - CAS no: -

CLP Annex VI Index number

Further substance information

Submitter(s)

ECHA

Details on the scope of restriction

Restricting the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in fire-fighting foams.

Reason for restriction

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) constitute a group of thousands of man-made chemicals that are widely used in various consumer and industrial products (e.g. water- and stain repellent textiles, fire-fighting foams, food contact materials and cosmetics). These substances are of increasing concern as many are likely to be persistent in the environment, whilst some are also known to be mobile, toxic and bioaccumulative. For many PFASs currently in use, there is a lack of detailed knowledge on their chemical structures, properties, uses and toxicological profiles. The Commission and ECHA recently commissioned a study on possible regulatory management options to address the risks associated with the use of PFASs in fire-fighting foams in the EU. The results show that fluorine-free fire-fighting foams are generally available and technically feasible and have been successfully used in most of the sectors identified. Fluorinated fire-fighting foams are the cause of many cases of contamination in Europe, both of soil and drinking water. The study identified the most relevant technologies for the remediation of PFASs contamination from use of fire-fighting foams. Moreover, the inclusion of PFOA, its salts and PFOA related compounds in Annex I of the POPs Regulation, following the listing under the Stockholm Convention, will lead, in the next 5 years, to the substitution of fire-fighting foams containing these substances. Considering the concern raised by substituting fire-fighting foams containing PFOA with other fluorine-based ones, the increasing availability of fluorine-free alternatives and the conclusions of ECHA’s and Commission’s study, the Commission requested ECHA to develop an Annex XV dossier in accordance with Article 69(1) of REACH for a potential restriction of PFASs in fire-fighting foams.

Remarks

Status

Opinions adopted

Date of intention

01-oct.-2020

Expected date of submission

14-janv.-2022

Withdrawal date

Reason for withdrawal

Start of Call for Evidence consultation

Deadline for comments on the Call for Evidence

Start of second Call for Evidence consultation

Deadline for comments on the second Call for Evidence

Start of third Call for Evidence consultation

Deadline for comments on the third Call for Evidence

Restriction report (and annexes)

Annex XV report

Annex

Appendix

Information note on restriction report

Info note

Webinar Q&As

Start of Annex XV report consultation

23-mars-2022

1st deadline for comments on Annex XV report

24-mai-2022

Final deadline for comments on Annex XV report

23-sept.-2022

Comments on Annex XV report

RCOM

RCOM summary

Opinion of RAC (and minority positions) and Forum Enforceability Advice (as of September 2023)

RAC opinion

Draft opinion of SEAC

SEAC draft opinion

SEAC DO Info note

RAC & SEAC (draft) Background document (and annexes)

Draft BD

Draft BD annex

Draft BD appendix

Start of SEAC draft opinion consultation

15-mars-2023

Deadline for comments on SEAC draft opinion

15-mai-2023

Comments on SEAC draft opinion

ORCOM

ORCOM summary

Compiled RAC and SEAC opinion (and minority positions)

Final opinion

Final background document (and annexes)

Final BD annex

Final BD appendix

Final BD

Adopted restriction/Commission communication

Latest update

13-sept.-2023

First published

07-oct.-2020