ECHA received 5,600 comments on PFAS restriction proposal

26 September 2023

Over 4,400 organisations, companies, and individuals have contributed their comments and information regarding the proposal to limit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within the European Economic Area. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are widely used throughout society in many industry, including food processing and food contact materials. However, they are increasingly detected as environmental pollutants and some are linked to negative effects on human health.

As of the conclusion of the consultation on September 25th, ECHA had received an impressive 5,600 comments from a diverse range of sources, encompassing more than 4,400 organisations, companies, and individuals. Now ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will meticulously review these comments, with particular emphasis on those offering evidence-based information relevant to the decision-making process.

The five nations that originally crafted the proposal (Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden) will also evaluate the feedback received during the consultation, potentially leading to adjustments to their initial proposal based on this input.

Many of the comments submitted during the consultation are already accessible on ECHA’s website. Any information marked as confidential by the contributor will remain private. Comments that arrived very close to the deadline are currently undergoing processing and will be available to the public in the near future.

RAC and SEAC are presently in the process of evaluating the proposed restriction and incorporating the pertinent information gathered during the consultation. These committees will form their independent scientific opinions through a series of deliberative meetings, during which draft opinions will be scrutinised thoroughly, addressing all relevant aspects and sectors affected.

ECHA is committed to delivering the final opinions to the European Commission as expeditiously as possible, while ensuring a rigorous review process by the scientific committees. Once these committees have adopted their opinions, they will be made public. The European Commission, in collaboration with EU Member States, will ultimately decide on the implementation of the restriction.

The proposal for this restriction was collaboratively developed by the authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden and submitted to ECHA on January 13, 2023, with the overarching goal of diminishing PFAS emissions into the environment and enhancing the safety of products and processes for the well-being of people. The six-month consultation period spanned from March 22 to September 25, 2023.