Six months of public consultation on the European plan for a global ban on “eternal pollutants”

The European project for the universal restriction of all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is led by five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) and has received support from France, which unveiled its first action plan on “eternal pollutants” on 17 January. It must be submitted by the European Commission to the Member States by 2025. As a first step in the process, Brussels has opened a public consultation. Placed under the aegis of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), it must be held from March 22 to September 25.

Open to all stakeholders (companies, States, associations, citizens, etc.), the consultation aims to collect “scientific and technical information on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of PFAS”, associated with numerous harmful effects on health: cancer, reduction in immune function or the effectiveness of vaccines, etc. ECHA’s scientific committees in charge of risk assessment and socio-economic analysis will use the results consultation to assess the restriction proposal and formulate an opinion.

Two Options are on the table today: a ban without derogation with a transition period of eighteen months and a ban with derogations of up to five or even twelve years, to allow manufacturers to find other solutions.

A multitude of objects with non-stick properties

Already, the most important manufacturers and users of PFAS are preparing their arguments to oppose the global ban and obtain exemptions. This is particularly the case in the sector of so-called “high performance” plastics made using PFAS, called fluoropolymers, of which Teflon – which equips Tefal stoves in particular – is the most famous.

Used in the manufacture of a multitude of objects with non-stick, stain-proof, waterproofing and high-temperature resistant properties, they would be both “essential” by the services they render to society and would not have “no significant impacts on human health or the environment”, according to the terms of the Fluoropolymers Product Group, a lobbying organization that defends the interests of chemical giants (DuPont, 3M, Daikin Chemicals, Solvay or Arkema) and is directly opposed to the global ban project. Under the threat of thousands of complaints in the United States, the American 3M has nevertheless announced that it will abandon the production of PFAS by the end of 2025.

To explore : “Eternal pollutants”: explore the European map of PFAS contamination

A collective bringing together around a hundred non-governmental organizations published a manifesto on March 14 asking the European Union to ban PFAS in consumer products (Teflon pans, baking paper, food packaging, textiles, cosmetics, etc.) by 2025 and completely by 2030. According to the estimates of the five European States at the initiative of the ban project, at the current rate of production and use of PFAS in Europe, this are 4.4 million tonnes of “eternal pollutants” that will be released into the environment if nothing is done.

Stephane Mandard And Stephane Horel