Europe
Universal PFAS restriction – The last meetings of the Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis focused on PFAS restrictions in several sectors. Provisional conclusions were reached on restricting PFAS in construction products, textiles, upholstery, leather, apparel, carpets, and food contact materials and packaging. Future evaluations are planned for March 2025, with discussions on fluorinated gases, transport, and energy applications, followed by reviews on lubricants, medical devices, and electronics and semiconductors.
PFAS restrictions in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – The EU has approved new restrictions on PFAS in food packaging, to be implemented in 2026 under the PPWR. The adopted law is expected to be published in the EU Official Journal in 2025, with enforcement beginning after an 18-month transition. The restrictions set limits of 25ppb for a single PFAS, 250ppb for a group measured as a sum, and 50ppm for all PFAS, including polymeric PFAS. These thresholds align with the broader proposed universal restriction on PFAS. To avoid overlap with existing regulations, the PPWR mandates a review by the European Commission within five and a half years to assess the need for amendments or repeal.
EU Member States
France
High Council for Public Health (HCSP) recommendations on PFAS in drinking water – In an opinion dated July 9 and published on December 18, the French HCSP recommends stricter measures than those mandated by the 2020 EU Drinking Water Directive to address PFAS contamination. It proposes a provisional threshold value of 20 ng/L, with a 30% margin of error, for the combined concentrations of four highly harmful PFAS: PFOA, PFHxS (banned from production), PFOS, and PFNA (restricted). This is in addition to the directive’s existing limits of 100 ng/L for 20 PFAS and 500 ng/L for all measurable PFAS.
Denmark
National ban on PFAS – On December 2, 2024, the Danish Environment Ministry formally notified the European Commission about its proposed national ban on PFAS in clothing, footwear, and impregnation agents. The proposal introduces a uniform limit of 50mg of fluoride per kilogram of product (F/kg), differing from the varying limits proposed under the broader EU-wide PFAS ban. Several exemptions are included in the plan, such as personal protective equipment and safety clothing, home textiles like curtains and prams due to cost and the limited availability of alternatives, and products already regulated under EU REACH or POPs regulations. Medical equipment is also exempt.
The implementation timeline specifies that the ban on PFAS-containing products will take effect on July 1, 2025, with restrictions on imports and sales applying from July 1, 2026. Companies importing PFAS-containing goods before this date may continue selling them until January 1, 2027.
Other Updates
Chromafora tackles PFAS pollution with €22.5 million European Investment Bank (EIB) loan – The EIB is providing €22.5 million in financing to Swedish cleantech company Chromafora to advance its innovative SELPAXT technology for removing PFAS from water. The loan will support the deployment of water-treatment units across Europe between 2024 and 2028, targeting industrial clients such as landfill operators in Belgium, Sweden and beyond.
PFAS substances in waters – The European Environment Agency has reported that the widespread presence of PFAS in European waters is undermining the objectives of the EU’s Water Framework Directive. The agency highlights the need to expand the list of PFAS substances monitored in surface and groundwater, with an ongoing proposal for this expansion since 2022, despite resistance from some Member States.