PFAS regulatory requirements worldwide

From: 中鼎检测 Date: 2025-03-20 Tits: 348 Times

1. What is PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl / polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in the manufacture of everyday products with anti-stain, water, grease, oil and/or dirt repelling properties, including cosmetics, food contact materials and articles, firefighting foam, stain-resistant carpets and upholstered furniture, as well as waterproof apparel and equipment.

PFAS are recognized as persistent, toxic and harmful to human health and the environment. With growing global scrutiny on PFAS and their impact on health and the environment,the use of PFAS is regulated in a number of countries worldwide.

2.Current situation of PFAS control in the European Union and its member states

To thoroughly address the environmental and health issues caused by PFAS from the source, the EU is taking a series of measures to continuously upgrade regulations, strengthen legislation, and comprehensively control PFAS. The main PFAS regulations of the European Union and its member states are as follows:

▷Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants
- Perfluoro octane sulfonic acid (PFOS)and its derivatives
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds
- Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds

▷REACH Appendix XVII
- Linear and branchedperfluorocarboxylic acids of theformula CnF2n+1-C(=O)OH where n=8,9,10,11,12,or 13(C9-C14PFCAs),including their salts,and any combinations thereof;
- Undecafluorohexanoic acid(PFHxA),its salts andPFHxA-related substances
- Proposal on restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Europe

▷Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR)
- any PFAS and the sum of PFAS
- PFASs (total fluorine)

▷Prohibition regulations for PFAS in France
It is prohibited to manufacture, import, export or place on the market:
(1) Any cosmetic containing perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances;
(2) Any wax product containing perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances;
(3) Any clothing, textiles, footwear, and
waterproof agents for consumer clothing and footwear textiles containing perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances, except for clothing and footwear designed for protection and personal safety, especially when performing national defense or civil security tasks, the list of which is prescribed by law.

3. Current status of major PFAS regulations in the United States:

The control of PFAS in the United States focuses on full life cycle and supply chain investigations, following the principle of "whoever pollutes controls", and encouraging states to develop regulations based on actual situations. Therefore, PFAS legislation in the United States is divided into two major systems: federal regulations and state regulations. The main PFAS regulations in the United States are as follows:

▷Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse(TPCH)
- Perfluoroalkyl / polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

▷TSCA Section 8(a)(7) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
- at least 1,462 PFAS currently covered

Regulations of various states in the United States, such as:
▷California
-Bill AB 2515 prohibits the use of PFAS in menstrual products
-Bill AB 1817 prohibits the intentional addition of PFAS to textiles
-Bill AB1200 prohibits the use of PFAS in plant-based food packaging
-Bill AB 652 prohibits the intentional addition of PFAS to products intended for use by children under the age of 12
▷Minnesota
-Bill HF 2310 prohibits intentional addition of PFAS to 11 categories of products (such as carpets, cleaning products, kitchenware, cosmetics, dental floss, etc.)

4.Current situation of PFAS control in the China

China mainly adopts the hazardous substance inventory model to control PFAS, by issuing a list to clearly restrict the production, use, import and export of specific PFAS substances, so that enterprises can have a clear understanding of restricted substances and facilitate compliance management.

▷Key Control List of New Pollutants (2023 Edition)
- Prohibit the production, processing, and use of PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS substances except for specific exemptions

▷List of Strictly Restricted Toxic Chemicals in China (2023)
-Perfluorooctylsulfonic acid and its salts, as well as perfluorooctylsulfonyl fluoride (PFOS class)
-Perfluorooctanoic acid, its salts, and related compounds (PFOA)

5. Current status of PFAS regulations in other major countries:

▷Canada - CEPA 1999, SOR/2012-285 and its amendments SOR/2016-252
-Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts
-Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
-Long chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs) and their salts
-312 PFAS substances

▷Australia - IChEMS Registry
-Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its salts;
-Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and derivatives
-Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related substances

▷New Zealand PFAS ban
-Prohibit the import or production of cosmetics containing PFAS

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PFAS global regulatory changes are frequent, and CTT recommends that relevant companies closely monitor the latest regulatory developments in various countries, especially the latest requirements of major export destinations. Production enterprises should strengthen product compliance management and develop alternative solutions in a timely manner.

Testing solutions for PFAS

(1) Total fluoride screening:

Quickly screen for fluoride contamination in products.

(2) Quantitative analysis of organic fluorine:

Quantitative analysis of specific organic fluorine compounds in accordance with European and American regulations.

(3) PFAS targeted quantification:

Perform targeted quantitative analysis on common PFAS substances.

(4) Customized services:

Provide common PFAS substance testing services based on specific customer requirements.

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PFAS regulatory requirements worldwide