Information about PFAS recently released around the world

Backdrop

According to the U.S. EPA, PFAS (perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl compounds) currently contain at least 10,000 and are used worldwide in a wide range of applications, such as textiles, food packaging, lubricants, refrigerants and electronics. It has the characteristics of persistence, long-distance migration, toxicity and bioaccumulation. Relevant evidence shows that PFAS contamination of groundwater, surface water and biota has been very widespread, and the harm to humans and the environment is serious. At the same time, some PFAS are gases that, once released, will be distributed around the world and have a significant impact on global climate change. At present, worldwide, the call for the control of PFAS substances is rising, and countries have successively issued relevant control requirements, which involve a wide range of objects under control and need to attract the attention of various manufacturing enterprises.

Attention! States continue to issue bans on PFAS

Europe has also tightened controls on PFAS. Five countries, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, are more concerned about restrictions on PFAS, with Denmark first issuing an executive order in 2020 banning the use of PFAS in food contact materials.

The U.S. government and states have repeatedly published information about PFAS restrictions. As of the end of 2022, 12 states have introduced legislation on PFAS in food contact materials, and these state laws are basically banning the use of PFAS, but the scope of application, regulatory clarity, and the intensity of the prohibition vary significantly. On the other hand, as there are more than 9,000 types of PFAS, the definition and grouping of PFAS are still controversial, and the specific types of PFAS are not specified in the state bills.