VDMA: PFAS proposals "overshooting the mark by far"

Berlin – Germany's engineering industry association the VDMA has called on EU authorities to reconsider proposals to ban around 10,000 per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).

On 22 March, the European Chemical Agency launched a six-month consultation process on the proposals, drawn up by Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

In its recently issued response, VDMA warned that a wholesale ban would "threaten the existence of many mechanical engineering companies."

Many “indispensable components such as seals” would be affected bringing “serious consequences for many everyday products," said the industry body.

Adding that “practically every machine” and products produced would be impacted, VDMA emphasised: “There is no substitute for [PFAS] today or in the foreseeable future.

"We support the EU's plan to ban all harmful PFAS if they enter the environment," explained VDMA executive director Thilo Brodtmann.

But, he went on to say, that criteria only applies to some substances covered by the EU proposals.

“The EU is overshooting the mark by far with this regulation" he added, noting that it “no one can predict the consequences if 10,000 substances are now banned.”

For example, said Brodtmann, the future of energy-transition would be jeopardised as there would be no wind turbines or heat pumps.

Therefore, VDMA urged the responsible EU authorities to revise the proposal, towards exempting ‘low hazard potential’ substances.

These, it went on to add, could include polymers of low concern and their production.

Furthermore, VDMA demanded that the ban “must distinguish” more strongly how great the risk of environmental pollution is.

“Components inside a machine have no direct contact with the environment; the rule here must be: No ban where there is no risk.”

Furthermore, said the VDMA, the planned transition period of 18 months until the ban takes effect is much too short for industrial applications.

“Even to test the possible alternatives for functionality and safe use, a period of several years is needed,” it added.