The European Commission has decided to restrict the use of a subset of so-called “forever chemicals”.
“We are removing harmful substances from products that citizens use every day, such as textiles, cosmetics and food packaging,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Thursday.
It is worth noting that “forever chemicals” or perfluoroalkyl substances are chemicals that do not decompose in the natural environment, and can harm human health and the environment.
The Commission said the announcement targeted indicafluorohexanoic acid and its derivatives, which are “highly persistent and mobile in water and whose use in some products poses an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.”
“This forever restriction of chemicals is a crucial step in our strategy to enhance sustainability, competitiveness and innovation in the chemicals sector,” said Sefcovic.
“Replacing chemicals forever helps preserve the health of our environment, conserve our resources and drive innovation in clean alternatives,” he added.
Semiconductors, batteries and fuel cells for green hydrogen will be exempt from the measure, the Commission said.
The new restrictions are scheduled to come into effect in October.