REACH regulations add new PFOA restriction clauses

Substance name

Restriction requirements

68.Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

CAS number: 335-67-1

EC number: 206-397-9

and its salts.

Any related substance (including its salts and polymers) containing a linear or branched perfluoroheptyl group (C7F15-) directly connected to another carbon atom as a structural element.

Any related substance (including its salts and polymers) containing a linear or branched perfluorooctyl group (C8F17-) as a structural element.

The following substances are not included:

— C8F17-X, X=F, Cl, Br.

—C8F17-C(=O)OH, C8F17-C(=O)O-X’ or C8F17-CF2-X’ (X’=any group, including salts)

1. As of July 4, 2020, the substance itself may not be produced or placed on the market.

2. Starting from July 4, 2020, when the content of PFOA and its salts is ≥25ppb or the individual or total amount of PFOA-related substances is ≥1000ppb, the following purposes shall not be used in production or put on the market: (a) Another substance , as a component; (b) a mixture; (c) an article.

3. The provisions of Articles 1 and 2 apply to:

(a) Effective July 4, 2022: (i) Equipment used to manufacture semiconductors; (ii) Latex printing inks.

(b) Effective from 4 July 2023: (i) Textiles used to protect the health and safety of workers; (ii) Membranes used in medical textiles, water treatment filtration, production processes and wastewater treatment; (iii) Plasma Bulk nano coating.

(c) Effective from July 4, 2032: Medical devices other than implantable medical devices within the scope of Directive 93/42/EEC.

4. The provisions of Articles 1 and 2 do not apply to:

(a) Perfluorooctane sulfonate and its derivatives listed in Part A of Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004; (b) Such by-products are inevitably produced during the production of fluorides with a carbon chain length ≤ 6 product; (c) used alone or as an independent intermediate, in compliance with Article 18(4) clauses (a) to (f) of the regulations; (d) as a component of another substance or mixture, used for: (i ) Implantable medical devices within the scope of Directive 93/42/EEC; (ii) Photographic coatings for film, paper or printing plates; (iii) Used in semiconductor photolithography processes or compound semiconductor etching processes; (e) in Compressed firefighting foam mixtures placed on the market before July 4, 2020, may be used to produce other firefighting foam mixtures.

5. Clause 2(b) does not apply to fire-fighting foam mixtures that: (a) were placed on the market before 4 July 2020; (b) are produced in accordance with 4(e) and are used for training purposes that will reduce emissions to the environment This is reduced to a minimum and the collected wastewater is safely disposed of.

6. Article 2(c) does not apply to: (a) items placed on the market before July 4, 2020; (b) implantable medical devices produced in compliance with Article 4(d)(i); (c) Articles coated with photographic coatings as described in 4(d)(ii); (d) semiconductors or compound semiconductors as described in 4(d)(iii).