Contact

What are you looking for?

EU Regulates PFHxS and PFHxS-related Compounds Under POP Recast

SafeGuardSHardgoods, Toys and Juvenile Products, Electrical & Electronics, Automotive, Personal and Protective Equipment, SoftlinesAugust 11, 2023

SG 101/23 

The EU has added PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compounds to the POP Recast Regulation on persistent organic pollutants. The latest amendment will become effective on August 28, 2023.

On August 8, 2023, the European Union (EU) issued Regulation (EU) 2023/1608 to amend Part A of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (POP Recast Regulation, consolidated version to June 2023) by adding perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds, with specific exemptions on intermediate use or other specifications.

According to the definitions in the latest amendment, PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compounds means:

  • PFHxS, including any of its branched isomers
  • Its salts
  • PFHxS-related compounds, which are substances that degrade to PFHxS, including substances that contain the chemical moiety C6F13S- as one of its structural elements

Highlights of the new law are summarized in Table 1.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1608 of May 30, 2023, amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 as regards the listing of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds, Official Journal of the EU, August 8, 2023

SubstanceScopeSpecific exemption on intermediate use or other specificationEffective Date
PFHxS and its saltsSubstances, mixtures or articles≤ 0.025 mg/kgAugust 28, 2023
PFHxS-related Compounds≤ 1 mg/kg (sum of all PFHxS-related compounds)
PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compoundsConcentrated firefighting foam mixtures that are to be used or are used in the manufacture of other firefighting foam mixtures≤ 0.1 mg/kg (to be reviewed within three years with a view to strengthen the limit)

Table 1

With facilities accredited to ISO, Australian, European and US standards, and experts covering every region of the globe, SGS is the number one choice for accurate, innovative solutions to PFAS testing. Whether you require rapid turnaround times, short-list remediation analysis or wider investigations of tissue and serum matrices, we have the capabilities to ensure your project is accurately and efficiently completed. Contact us for more information on PFAS testing or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.

Related Services

For further information, please contact:

HingWo Tsang

Dr. HingWo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

News & Insights

  • SGS SafeGuardS

1 Place des Alpes,

P.O. Box 2152,

1211, Geneva, Switzerland