UK restrictions on PFAS chemicals draw near as discussions over substitute options become more heated
The UK government and European Union (EU) are taking significant steps to limit the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various products, including firefighting foam (FFF).
In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) are delivering the REACH work programme for 2023-24. As part of this programme, they plan to start evidence gathering and stakeholder engagement in respect of potential restrictions on the use of PFAS. The authorities have identified potential health effects for humans and the environment from the use of PFAS, including persistent, bio accumulative and toxic (PBT), or persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) properties.
The government has agreed to begin the development of a restriction dossier on PFAS in FFF and explore further restrictions covering a wide range of industrial and consumer uses. This includes the restriction on the use of PFAS in FFF, which would cover the use and disposal of firefighting foam where non-PFAS alternatives are available.
Similarly, the EU is also considering regulation of PFAS. Last year, the European Chemicals Agency consulted on a proposed ban on PFAS use within the EU, generating over 5,000 responses. The EU regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases has recently entered into force, which could potentially impact the use of PFAS in certain applications.
A study led by Astrid Mueller at the University of Rochester found a cheaper and less energy-intensive method for removing PFAS from water using an aqueous electrocatalytic process. The research involved using laser-made [NiFe]-layered double hydroxide nanocatalysts immobilised on hydrophilic carbon fiber paper anodes.
ChemSec, an organisation advocating for chemical safety, has been pushing for safer alternatives to PFAS-containing F-gases for heat pumps, such as ammonia, hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide. This is in response to the fact that hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), used in heat pumps, break down into the toxic PFAS compound trifluoro acetic acid (TFA) when released into the environment.
However, concerns about the potential unintended consequences of legislative proposals for PFAS use in the EU have been raised by Katie Hancock of Pinsent Masons. The results of the consultation are awaited, and the formal enforcement dates for the UK's restrictions on the use of PFAS in cleaning products and consumer goods have not been explicitly provided in the available information.
Currently, there are just two UK REACH restrictions of PFAS in force within Britain. As these initiatives progress, it is expected that the number of restrictions will increase, aiming to protect both human health and the environment from the potential risks associated with PFAS.
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