There must be a European ban on the authorization of harmful artificial products such as the chemical PFAS. This was proposed by the Dutch Minister Stientje van Veldhoven (Environment) to her EU counterparts in Brussels.
Through an authorization ban (restriction proposal), PFAS and other similar products would be prohibited in all non-essential applications. Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Italy, and France supported the Dutch proposal.
Dutch Minister Van Veldhoven said in response: “I believe we must turn off the tap for PFAS. The Teflon layer might be handy on a pan, but at the same time, these substances never break down in our environment and can be harmful to our health. PFAS still enters our country from all sides every day. We cannot solve this alone and must tackle the problem throughout Europe.”
In 2018, it became known that PFAS is present in minute amounts throughout the country’s soil. PFAS is the collective name for some 6,000 man-made substances, some of which are suspected carcinogens. It is clear that once these substances are in the environment, they never degrade. The material is used among other things in non-stick coatings on frying pans, rain-repellent clothing, and reflectors.
When it recently became known that the amount of PFAS in the soil widely exceeded the permitted criteria, the Dutch government imposed a transport ban on contaminated soil. As a result, new construction virtually came to a halt everywhere. Subsequently, the government relaxed the criteria but at the same time decided to work towards an EU-wide ban.
What is unique about the current proposed restriction is that all harmful PFAS substances, about 6,000 in total, will be banned at once for the first time. This prevents one PFAS type from being replaced by another.
The ban is expected to take five years before coming into effect. The first step is for the Netherlands to describe why the restriction is necessary, including risks, alternatives, their costs, and expected benefits for the environment and health. Then the European Commission and ultimately the EU government and European Parliament will take over.