The Commis­sion has extended the dead­line for the ban on using PFOA in fire­fighting foams.

On 5 May, the European Commission adopted amendments to regulate the use of per- and polyfluoroalkylene substances (PFOA). PFOA belong to the PFAS group (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and they are generally banned in Europe due to their health and environmental risks. However, temporary exemptions apply for specific applications, such as when used in mobile and fixed fire-extinguishing systems. These exemptions were originally due to expire on 3 July, but they have now been extended until the end of the year.

Back­ground to the dead­line exten­sion

Under the slogan "postponed is not abandoned", the Commission has deferred the ban on using PFOA in fire-fighting foams to 5 December 2025, thereby extending the existing exemptions.

The reason for this was increasing pressure from manufacturers, who indicated that they were experiencing huge difficulties in meeting the original deadline. The Commission extended the implementation deadline in order to prevent other PFAS-containing extinguishing foams from being used as a substitute for PFOA. The objective is to give manufacturers more time to find suitable and more environmentally-sound alternatives.

Furthermore, the Commission set limits for unintentional trace contamination in addition to extending the deadline. The limit values are 1mg/kg for PFOA concentrations and 10mg/kg for concentrations of PFOA-related compounds.

Ban on PFAS in food-related prod­ucts announced

Stéphane Séjourné, the EU Industry Commissioner, announced in May that he also wanted to ban the use of PFAS in food-related products such as pans and packaging materials. According to the Commission, any industrial use of PFAS will remain unaffected by the ban in order to maintain the competitiveness of European industry.

MEPs warn about PFAS risks

At the end of April, the Committee for Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) also addressed PFAS. Various political groups within the ENVI committee described the dangers PFAS poses to the environment and humans. PFAS can cause cancer or affect the endocrine system. Besides, the costs arising from PFAS pollution were discussed. According to calculations made by the Nordic Council of Ministers, these amount to 52 - 84 billion euros per year in the European Economic Area.

A complete ban on the use of PFAS in fire­fighting foams is planned

A long-term ban on the use of all forms of PFAS in firefighting foams is planned in connection with the REACH Regulation. The European Chemicals Agency submitted a proposal for an EU-wide restriction on using all forms of PFAS in fire-fighting foams back in 2022. The Commission is expected to adopt the ban by the end of the year.