# EU considers ban on ‘forever chemicals’, urges search for alternatives Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-02-07 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: EU considers ban on 'forever chemicals' PFAS amid Meta Description: Find out how the EU is taking steps to ban harmful PFAS chemicals in various products, protecting human health and the environment. URL: https://financedigest.com/eu-considers-ban-on-forever-chemicals-urges-search-for-alternativeshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-02-07t100347z1lynxmpej160firtroptp4global-europe-1736814478762-compressed.jpg) (Reuters) – The European Union on Tuesday started to consider a proposal to ban widely used substances known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” in what could become the bloc’s most extensive piece of regulation of the chemical industry. The substances have been used in tens of thousands of products, including aircraft, cars, textiles, medical gear and wind mills due to their long-term resistance to extreme temperatures and corrosion, but PFAS have also been linked to health risks like cancer, hormonal dysfunction and a weakened immune system as well as environmental damage. The five countries – Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and non-EU state Norway – which have been collaborating on the proposal said in a joint statement on Tuesday that, if passed, it would become “one of the largest bans on chemical substances ever in Europe”. “A ban on PFAS would reduce quantities of PFAS in the environment over the long term. It would also make products and processes safer for humans,” they added. [Companies will be given between 18 months to 12 years to introduce alternatives](https://www.financedigest.com/closing-a-limited-company-three-alternatives-to-liquidation.html "Closing a limited company: three alternatives to liquidation") substances, depending on the application and availability of alternatives, according to the draft proposal. Makers and users of PFAS, which have formed a lobby subgroup under the European chemical makers’ association CEFIC, include BASF, 3M, Bayer, Solvay, Merck KGaA and Synthomer. “In many cases, no such alternatives currently exist, and in some they possibly never will,” the five countries said in their statement, adding that companies now need to start to find substitutes. The moniker “forever chemicals” stems from their ability to accumulate in water and soils because they do not decompose as a result of an extremely strong [bond between carbon](https://www.financedigest.com/ecb-can-cut-carbon-footprint-by-shedding-bonds-of-biggest-polluters.html "ECB can cut carbon footprint by shedding bonds of biggest polluters") and fluorine atoms that characterise them. It will likely take years before the [ban takes effect](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-approves-effective-ban-on-new-fossil-fuel-cars-from-2035.html "EU approves effective ban on new fossil fuel cars from 2035"). According to the draft, a certain number of pharmaceuticals, animal health products, crop protection chemicals and disinfectants would be exempt, or benefit from so-called derogations, because they already fall under existing regulatory regimes. DIFFICULT PROCESS The [countries submitting the dossier said that it reviewed 14 industrial sectors](https://www.financedigest.com/switzerlands-engineering-sector-urges-country-to-start-energy-saving-now.html "Switzerland’s engineering sector urges country to start energy saving now") that use PFAS and the “regulatory action” is warranted in all of them. They added that once a ban is in place, [emissions and accumulation in the environment will go on for many years because PFAS containing gear and vehicles](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-proposes-tighter-vehicle-pollution-emission-standards.html "EU proposes tighter vehicle pollution emission standards") will continue to operate for some time and waste products would continue to shed the molecules. The FPP4EU [group of 14 companies](https://www.financedigest.com/incentive-fm-group-wins-contract-with-global-events-company.html "Incentive Fm Group Wins Contract With Global Events Company") that make and use PFAS has said that finding alternative substances is a long and difficult process. A type of PFAS goes into Bayer’s liver and kidney [cancer drug](https://www.financedigest.com/astrazeneca-lifts-2022-earnings-outlook-as-cancer-drugs-boost-results.html "AstraZeneca lifts 2022 earnings outlook as cancer drugs boost results") Nexvar, for instance, and finding a replacement would take up to 15 years, according to the lobby group. Other uses include cooling agents for large commercial refrigerators. In the aerospace and defence industry as well as in the [car](https://www.financedigest.com/german-new-passenger-car-registrations-up-3-in-august-industry-source.html "German new passenger car registrations up 3% in August – industry source") industry they are used to make parts resist fire, weather, and aggressive chemicals. Within the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), two scientific committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will now review whether the proposal to [ban PFAS conforms with wider EU regulation](https://www.financedigest.com/german-regulator-hands-ey-2-year-audit-ban-over-wirecard-scandal-handelsblatt.html "German regulator hands EY 2-year audit ban over Wirecard scandal – Handelsblatt") of chemicals known as REACH, followed by a scientific evaluation and consultation with the industry. ECHA has said that the two committees may need longer than the usual 12 months to [conclude their evaluation](https://www.financedigest.com/imf-executive-board-concludes-the-ex-post-evaluation-of-the-second-precautionary-and-liquidity-line-arrangement-for-morocco.html "IMF Executive Board Concludes the Ex-Post Evaluation of the Second Precautionary and Liquidity Line Arrangement for Morocco"). Afterwards, the European Commission and EU member states will decide on potential restrictions. In other regions, initiatives to restrict PFAS are also underway. U.S. [industrial conglomerate 3M Co in December set](https://www.financedigest.com/iot-set-to-fuel-the-next-green-revolution-in-the-farming-industry-finds-inmarsat.html "IoT set to fuel the next Green Revolution in the farming industry, finds Inmarsat ") itself a 2025 deadline to stop producing them. In November, 3M and DuPont de Nemours Inc were among [several companies](https://www.financedigest.com/the-severe-impact-of-downtime-on-companies-bottom-lines.html "The severe impact of downtime on companies’ bottom lines") sued by California’s attorney general to recover clean-up costs. [Shareholders have also called](https://www.financedigest.com/monte-dei-paschis-cash-call-93-covered-so-far-despite-low-shareholder-take-up.html "Monte dei Paschi’s cash call 93% covered so far despite low shareholder take-up") for production of the chemicals to stop. Investors [managing $8 trillion in assets](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-post-brexit-asset-management-revamp-eyes-liquidity-tokenisation.html "Britain’s post-Brexit asset management revamp eyes liquidity, tokenisation") earlier this year wrote to 54 companies urging them to phase out their use. In August, the United States [government said it will propose](https://www.financedigest.com/carrefour-unveils-30-euro-shopping-basket-in-spain-after-government-price-cut-proposal.html "Carrefour unveils 30 euro shopping basket in Spain after government price cut proposal") designating certain forever chemicals as hazardous substances under the U.S. Superfund programme. DuPont has said it was limiting the use of PFAS to [“essential industrial applications” and working](https://www.financedigest.com/working-with-banks-essential-tips-for-fintechstartups.html "Working with banks – essential tips for fintechstartups") with customers to pursue alternatives. Between 140,000 and 310,000 tonnes of PFASs were sold in European markets in 2020, and the overall annual health costs from exposure to PFAS in Europe has been estimated to be 52 billion-84 [billion euros](https://www.financedigest.com/mercedes-benz-to-buy-back-up-to-4-billion-euros-in-shares-by-2025.html "Mercedes-Benz to buy back up to 4 billion euros in shares by 2025") ($55.72 billion-$90.01 billion), according to the draft. ($1 = 0.9332 euros) (Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Susan Fenton) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---