On 29 February 2024, the REACH committee meeting of the European Commission saw the EU Member States vote in favor of limiting undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), its salts and related substances. Originally put forth by the German authorities in 2020, the proposal was subsequently endorsed by the scientific committees of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in late 2021.
The European Parliament and the Council will review this draft regulation for three months prior to its adoption by the Commission.
Highlights of the draft regulation for PFHxA are summarized below.
| Restricted Product Categories | Requirements | Proposed Effective Dates (No. of months from the date of entry into force of this Regulation) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard used as Food Contact Materials (FCM) | < 25 ppb (Sum of PFHxA and its salts) and < 1000 ppb (Sum of PFHxA-related substances) | 24 months |
| Cosmetic products | ||
| Mixtures for the general public | ||
| Footwear for the general public | ||
| Textiles, leather, furs and hides, in clothing and related accessories for the general public | ||
| Textiles, leather, furs and hides, OTHER THAN in clothing and related accessories for the general public | 36 months | |
| Firefighting foams and firefighting foam concentrates for training and for testing | 18 months | |
| Firefighting foams and firefighting foam concentrates for public fire services | ||
| Firefighting foams and firefighting foam concentrates for civil aviation | 60 months |
Manufacturers/distributors of products that fall under the scope of the listed restricted product categories should review the material content of their products to anticipate any necessary changes to ensure compliance should the regulation be adopted.