High Contamination Potential of Trifluoroacetic Acid: Germany Proposes Classification

According to German authorities, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which belongs to the group of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), has reproductive toxicity and environmentally critical properties. That’s why the Federal Office for Chemicals (Bundesstelle für Chemikalien: BfC), the Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt: UBA), and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung: BfR), have prepared a dossier on the harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) of TFA and submitted it to the ECHA.

Background
The exact name of the hazard class proposed for the classification of TFA is “Reproductive toxic, Category 1B” with hazard statement H360Df: “May damage the unborn child. May cause harm to fertility.” However, this classification does not indicate any actual health risks, given that the amount of the substance ingested is decisive here. Nevertheless, the authorities are sounding the alarm because the substance is also considered to be very persistent and very mobile (vPvM). As a result, TFA is difficult to break down in the environment and minimally binds to sediments or activated carbon filters, which makes it difficult to treat drinking water.

TFA
Water tests in ten EU countries showed that TFA accounts for around 99 percent of total PFAS contamination. Why? Almost all PFAS, including fluorinated gases (F-gases), pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals, are ultimately broken down into TFA in the environment, causing a continuous rise of its concentration in the environment.

Next steps
Comments on the harmonized classification and labeling dossier (CLH) can be submitted until the end of July. The ECHA Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) will then examine the dossier and any comments received and submit an opinion to the EU Commission, which will then draft a corresponding regulation to amend the ⁠CLP⁠ Regulation (Regulation on Adaptation to Technical Progress, ATP).

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