An industry coalition wants an exemption for fluoropolymers from proposed EU restrictions on PFAS, write Dafydd ab Iago and Matt Scotland
A coalition of industry associations has called on the EU to exempt fluoropolymers from a proposed restriction on the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), saying they are vital for certain components.
The coalition wants the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and European Commission to exempt fluoropolymer production given its use in multiple important sectors to the energy transition including hydrogen, wind, geothermal, batteries, refrigeration, air-conditioning, heat pumps, carbon capture and electric vehicles. Fluoropolymers provide the best combination of conductivity, chemical/thermal stability and mechanical strength under harsh use conditions, the coalition says. And they do not present "significant toxicity" concerns nor do they degrade into other PFAS, it says.
The ECHA on 26 September launched a consultation on the PFAS restriction proposal submitted by Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden in January. European LPG association Liquid Gas Europe (LGE) is not part of the coalition but did respond to the consultation, noting that the safety and efficacy of alternatives is uncertain and their viability is still being explored. Fluoropolymers, usually PTFE, are used in thread tape for valves in LPG cylinders and are present in many components of fuelling systems for autogas cars, thanks to their resistance to atmospheric deterioration or degradation, LGE says.
Poland has about 11mn LPG cylinders in circulation, of which approximately 500,000/yr have their valves refitted or replaced with PTFE thread tape typically used, according to the association. "Given these numbers, if these valves were to be replaced using PFAS-free materials, it would take the Polish market alone around 22 years to completely phase out this use of PFAS material," it says. France has 68mn cylinders and Italy more than 26mn in circulation, LGE says.
