▪︎ CLP, REACH
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 to which TFA is to be classified is "Toxic for reproduction, Category 1B" with the hazard statements H360Df: "May damage the unborn child. Suspected of damaging fertility". However, this classification says nothing about actual health risks, as the amount of the substance ingested is decisive. 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 hardly binds to sediments or activated carbon filters, which makes drinking water treatment more difficult.
Final stage TFA
Water tests in ten EU countries have shown that TFA accounts for around 99 percent of all PFAS contamination. The reason: almost all PFAS, including fluorinated gases (F-gases), pesticides, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals, are ultimately broken down into TFA in the environment, meaning that its concentration in the environment is continuously increasing.
The next steps
The dossier on harmonized classification and labelling (CLH) can be commented on until the end of July. The ECHA Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) will then scrutinize the dossier together with the comments received and submit an opinion to the EU Commission, which in turn will prepare a corresponding draft regulation to adapt the CLP Regulation (Adaptation to Technical Progress Regulation, ATP).
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