EU decides to restrict PFHxA

On September 19, the EU Commission decided to restrict the use of Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), its salts, and PFHxA-related substances throughout the entire EU.

Which applications are affected

Annex XVII of Regulation 1907/2006 (REACH) describes in detail how the individual substances are restricted. According to the Annex, PFHxA will be banned for the following applications:

Consumer textiles, leather, furs, hides, and outdoor clothing
Handbags and footwear
Paper and cardboard used as food contact materials (FCMs)
Mixtures, such as waterproofing sprays
Cosmetic products
in certain firefighting foams, including those for training and testing.

The regulation does not affect the industrial use of PFHxA, for example in semiconductors, batteries, and fuel cells.

Please note

Although PFHxA is not registered as a substance under the EU REACH regulation, several related substances and the ammonium salt of the acid are. These are used in many industries, including as an FCM in the manufacture of paper, cardboard, textiles, and fire-fighting foams.

Companies are required to indicate these restrictions in section 15 of the Safety Data Sheet.

The restriction adopted on September 19 will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

If you have any questions about PFHxA, PFAS and other substances whose use is restricted, please contact us at sales@kft.de.