Published 7 February 2023 at 18:34
EU. In a bill published today, the Swedish Chemicals Agency and authorities in four other countries propose that all manufacture and sale of PFAS chemicals be banned.
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PFAS
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The bill is described as historic. It concerns more than 10,000 substances that are widely used in society and many of which are proven to be harmful to both people and the environment.
The substances have been linked to Swedish miscarriages, among other things.
PFAS is a group of synthetically produced chemicals that do not break down in the environment and can lead to health problems. In Sweden, the PFAS problem has attracted attention mainly due to emissions from the use of firefighting foam, which has led to contamination of drinking water around the country.
As part of the several-year-long work to develop the bill, a comprehensive survey has been made of how much PFAS is manufactured and sold and which are the largest emission sectors. In the EU, emissions to the environment are estimated to be 75,000 tonnes per year, and based on existing consumption patterns, they are expected to increase over time if nothing is done. The calculations do not include the emissions that occur in the waste stage, which means that the emissions to the environment are likely to be significantly higher.
PFAS are released during their entire life cycle, from when they are manufactured to when they are applied to goods, when the goods are used and when they become waste. Fluorine gases, which are used, among other things, for air conditioning, along with textiles and medical equipment, account for the large emissions. Other significant areas of use are various types of packaging, the transport sector and construction products.
The proposal that is now being presented means that certain areas of use will receive time-limited exemptions.
PFAS substances covered by the limitation proposal are defined as: Any substance containing at least one fully fluorinated methyl group (-CF3) or one fully fluorinated methylene group (-CF2-) without any hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or iodine atoms attached to it. This definition covers more than 10,000 PFAS substances.