Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related substances

Classification and labelling of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Danger! According to the harmonised classification and labelling (ATP05) approved by the European Union, this substance may damage the unborn child, causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, is harmful if swallowed, causes serious eye damage, is harmful if inhaled, is suspected of causing cancer and may cause harm to breast-fed children.

Source: ECHA classification and labelling Inventory (2023)

• Category(ies) under POPs Regulation: Industrial chemical
• Other uses:
  • Production of fluoroelastomers and fluoropolymers, for the production of non–stick kitchen ware, food processing equipment.
  • Used as surfactants and surface treatment agents in textiles, paper and paints, firefighting foams.
  • Detected in industrial waste, stain resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids, house dust, microwave popcorn bags, water, food, and Teflon.

Substance listed in Annex I,  IV and V of the POP regulation with specific exemption on intermediate use or other specification.

• Annex I presents a list of substances subject to prohibition (with specific exemptions) on manufacturing, placing on the market and use.

PFOA is listed in Annex I as a substance subject to prohibition (with specific exemptions) on manufacturing, placing on the market and use. Certain exemptions are applicable (Check Annex I for further detail):

• photolithography or etch processes in semiconductor manufacturing (until 4 July 2025);
• photographic coatings applied to films (until 4 July 2025);
• invasive and implantable medical devices (until 4 July 2025);
• fire-fighting foam that contains or may contain PFOA, its salts and/or PFOA-related compounds shall not be used for training (until 4 July 2025);
• fire-fighting foam that contains or may contain PFOA, its salts and/or PFOA-related compounds shall not be used for testing unless all releases are contained (until 4 July 2025);
• as from 1 January 2023, uses of fire-fighting foam that contains or may contain PFOA, its salts and/or PFOA-related compounds shall only be allowed in sites where all releases can be contained (until 4 July 2025);
• fire-fighting foam stockpiles that contain or may contain PFOA, its salts and/or PFOA-related compounds shall be managed in accordance with Article 5(until 4 July 2025);
• the use of perfluooroctyl bromide containing perfluoroctyl iodide for the purpose of producing pharmaceutical products shall be allowed (subject to review and assessment by the Commission by 31 December 2026, every four years thereafter and by 31 December 2036);

• Annex IV presents a list of substances subject to waste management provisions in accordance with Article 7(4)(a):

• Waste containing or contaminated by PFOA can be disposed of or recovered, as long as the substance concentration in the waste remains below 1 mg/kg for PFOA and its salts and 40 mg/kg for the sum of all PFOA-related compounds (concentration limits specified in Annex IV).

• In exceptional cases, PFOA present in waste, in categories listed in Annex V, Part 2, up to the concentration of 50 mg/kg for PFOA and its salts and 2000 mg/kg for PFOA-related compounds, will be dealt with in accordance with a method listed in Annex V Part 2.

Is this substance concerned by other environmental legislation?

Check ECHA EU Chemicals Legislation Finder (EUCLEF) (2023)

PFOA-related substances

A list of examples of PFOA-related substances is available in the Appendix B.1 of the Background document to the compiled RAC/SEAC opinion from REACH restriction procedure. The document is available via this link.