{"id":10206,"date":"2025-11-19T08:30:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T05:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=10206"},"modified":"2025-11-27T10:54:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T07:54:35","slug":"echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"ECHA Publishes Updated EU PFAS Restriction Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has <a href=\"https:\/\/echa.europa.eu\/el\/-\/echa-publishes-updated-pfas-restriction-proposal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">released<\/a> its updated proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the EU\u2019s chemicals regulation REACH (Annex XVII of Regulation (EC) No. 1907\/2006). The update represents Europe\u2019s ongoing efforts to curb PFAS emissions and strengthen controls across a wide range of applications, including those in the packaging and food contact materials sectors.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/#Updated_Scope_and_Evaluation\" >Updated Scope and Evaluation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/#Restriction_Options_Considered\" >Restriction Options Considered<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/#Ongoing_Scientific_Review\" >Ongoing Scientific Review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/#Impact_on_Packaging_and_Food_Contact_Applications\" >Impact on Packaging and Food Contact Applications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/echa-publishes-eu-pfas-restriction-proposal\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Updated_Scope_and_Evaluation\"><\/span><strong>Updated Scope and Evaluation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The revised proposal was prepared jointly by authorities from <strong>Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden<\/strong>, following a detailed review of more than<strong> 5,600 <\/strong>scientific and technical <strong>comments<\/strong> collected during ECHA\u2019s 2023 public consultation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Their revised \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/echa.europa.eu\/hot-topics\/perfluoroalkyl-chemicals-pfas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Background Document<\/a>\u201d now provides a broader and more detailed impact assessment across multiple industrial sectors, several of which were not explicitly covered in the initial draft.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The updated assessment includes <strong>eight additional<\/strong> <strong>sectors<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li>Printing applications<\/li>\n<li>Sealing applications<\/li>\n<li>Machinery components<\/li>\n<li>Medical and pharmaceutical packaging uses<\/li>\n<li>Military applications<\/li>\n<li>Explosives<\/li>\n<li>Technical textiles<\/li>\n<li>Broader industrial applications such as solvents and catalysts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">These additions expand the regulatory landscape and highlight how widely PFAS substances are used across manufacturing chains, including materials relevant to<strong> food packaging, coatings and barrier films<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Restriction_Options_Considered\"><\/span><strong>Restriction Options Considered<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The dossier submitters assessed <strong>three main restriction options (ROs)<\/strong> for PFAS under REACH, balancing public health protection with industrial feasibility:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>RO1:<\/strong> A <strong>general ban<\/strong> on all PFAS with an 18-month transition period and <strong>no derogations<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>RO2:<\/strong> A <strong>ban with time-limited derogations<\/strong> for specific applications, alongside the same 18-month transition period.<\/li>\n<li><strong>RO3:<\/strong> Allowing <strong>continued use under strict containment and control conditions<\/strong> to minimize emissions throughout the life cycle of PFAS-containing products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">These options reflect the ongoing discussions about whether certain highly specialized or safety-critical uses, such as some food contact barrier materials, can remain <strong>temporarily permissible<\/strong> under controlled conditions.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10203 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"ECHA Publishes Updated EU PFAS Restriction Proposal\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ECHA-Publishes-Updated-EU-PFAS-Restriction-Proposal.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ongoing_Scientific_Review\"><\/span><strong>Ongoing Scientific Review<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">ECHA\u2019s <em>Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC)<\/em> and <em>Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC)<\/em> are now evaluating the updated proposal. Their joint opinions will guide the European Commission\u2019s final decision, expected after consultation with EU Member States.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">ECHA emphasized its goal of ensuring a <strong>transparent <\/strong>and<strong> science-based restriction process<\/strong>, balancing environmental protection with the socioeconomic realities of affected the industries.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_on_Packaging_and_Food_Contact_Applications\"><\/span><strong>Impact on Packaging and Food Contact Applications<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>PFAS substances<\/strong> are commonly used in <strong>grease-resistant coatings<\/strong>, <strong>paper and board packaging, non-stick surfaces, and certain barrier films<\/strong>. If the updated restriction moves forward, manufacturers in the food contact and packaging supply chain may face <strong>tighter controls or complete phase-outs<\/strong> of fluorinated substances.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The industry is expected to intensify efforts to identify <strong>PFAS-free alternatives<\/strong>, particularly in fiber-based food packaging, recycled materials, and high-performance films where migration resistance and durability are critical. Early collaboration between material suppliers, converters, and brand owners will be essential to ensure continuity, compliance, and consumer safety.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">This updated restriction proposal marks a turning point for the use of PFAS use in food contact and barrier materials. Companies should begin proactive substitution planning, invest in alternative material testing and stay closely aligned with ECHA\u2019s forthcoming RAC and SEAC opinions to anticipate compliance deadlines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released its updated proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the EU\u2019s chemicals regulation REACH (Annex XVII of Regulation (EC) No. 1907\/2006). The update represents Europe\u2019s ongoing efforts to curb PFAS emissions and strengthen controls across a wide range of applications, including those in the packaging and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-advocacy-enforcement-en","category-28","category-543","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10207,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10206\/revisions\/10207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}