EFCTC commissioned socioeconomic assessment of PFAS restriction on F-gas sector submitted to ECHA
EFCTC commissioned an independent consultant, Ricardo Energy & Environment, to undertake an independent Socio-Economic Analysis (SEA) of the contribution of certain fluorinated gases (F-gases) to the economy and wider society. The SEA has been submitted to an ECHA public consultation. This study explores the potential economic and social effects of the proposed restriction on PFAS on activities associated with the manufacture, placing on the market and use of the F-gases in scope. In addition, it also aims to capture the social and environmental effects: i.e., describing the potential human health and environmental impacts of these substances, alongside their contribution to the wider society. The strong engagement with stakeholders, including trade associations, has resulted in a thorough, detailed and objective analysis.
The scope of this SEA is limited to a set of 10 F-gases (and the mixtures in which these form a component part), which have been identified as meeting the proposed definition of PFAS at risk of a REACH restriction and are of interest to EFCTC.
The SEA is primarily intended as a contribution for the proposal to restrict PFAS that will likely include most F-gases, although the extent of this restriction is yet to be entirely defined and can still change along the consultation process. EFCTC has submitted the SEA to ECHA as a contribution to the ECHA Public Consultation for the proposed restriction of PFASs in fire-fighting foams, deadline 23rd September 2022. The documentation for the proposed restriction of PFASs in fire-fighting foams covers a broad range of substances that have never been used in these foams and which do not have the technical properties to be used. The properties and environmental effects of HFCs, HFOs and HCFOs, which have not been used in these foams, are discussed in the documentation consisting of a REACH Annex XV report, annex, and appendix. Some F-gases are used in very specific and limited cases for clean fire-extinguishing and suppression techniques (not foams), which are not in scope of this restriction proposal.
It is possible that data contained in this fire-fighting foam restriction proposal may be used in the broad PFASs restriction proposal (available on the ECHA website). This is why EFCTC has submitted the SEA to the public consultation on the proposed restriction of PFASs in fire-fighting foams.
A summary of the SEA will be made available.