Forever chemicals are found in many everyday products — some are considered dangerous. Nevertheless, the EU is having difficulty banning them.
afp | The EU Commission has actually been aiming to ban so-called PFAS for a long time — but a legislative proposal is likely to take several more months. The necessary study results are expected by the end of the year, as the European Chemicals Agency ECHA explained on Monday. Only after that can the Commission officially propose a ban, which will then be discussed in Brussels.
PFAS are per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances that are synthetically manufactured. They are water- and oil-repellent and therefore appear in numerous everyday products such as coated pans, functional clothing, waterproofing sprays, and disposable packaging. PFAS are referred to as forever chemicals because they are biologically not biodegradable and accumulate in nature and in the human body.
It is possible; the industry is already preparing for it
Jessika Roswall, Environment Commissioner
Studies indicate that some of the chemicals may damage the liver and the immune system in humans, reduce the effectiveness of vaccines and fertility, and cause cancer. A number of the thousands of PFAS compounds known worldwide are already banned in the EU. Brussels can, however, only ban subtitles subgroups. These are subsequently often replaced in the industry by similar PFAS.
Ban announced already for the previous legislative period
The EU Commission has been working for years on a comprehensive PFAS ban. It was originally announced for the previous legislative period and has been postponed several times. Environmental Commissioner Jessika Roswall described the reform on Monday in Brussels as a priority despite the delays. “It is possible; the industry is already preparing for it,” she said.
A previous draft had failed in an internal review by the Commission last year. Now Roswall must wait for two ECHA studies — one on the chemical risks and one on the economic consequences of a ban.
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