Following the approval by the Risk Assessment Committee, this SEAC consultation is the final step in the ECHA work on the so-called universal PFAS restriction. The agency is expected to transmit its official proposal to the European Commission at the very end of this year.
While EurEau recognises the tremendous work done, it is disappointing to see that the restriction might authorise more than 800,000 tonnes of PFAS emission over the next 30 years. EurEau calls on the Commission to present its own restriction proposal swiftly and to target both consumer and industrial uses. In particular, the use of fluorinated gases can be drastically reduced with established substitutes widely available.
The recently Commission study ‘The cost of PFAS pollution for our society’ estimated PFAS-related costs for the drinking water sector at up to €14-15 billion per year while wastewater treatment plants could face an annual bill above €70 billion.