Providing regulatory certainty on forever chemicals

I have seen first-hand the cost of PFAS pollution in human health, environmental damage and economic loss. These forever chemicals stay in soil, water, air, wildlife and our bodies. We owe it to future generations to tackle one of the biggest pollution problems of our time. And we owe it to our businesses to provide certainty and predictability on how PFAS can be used as safely as possible. This is a political priority for the European Commission and a personal priority for me. 

We are working with precisely this goal in mind. PFAS chemicals are widely used for industrial production and consumer goods. Their very resistant features make them useful in many critical sectors and industrial applications. But they are also used when safer, suitable and commercially viable alternatives exist.  

We estimate that 100,000 sites in Europe emit PFAS. The cost of cleaning up already contaminated sites is huge but the cost is even bigger if nothing is done to tackle future pollution. Many people are concerned about the level of PFAS found in our water, our environment and our bodies; I am no exception. 

Last year the Dutch authorities revealed that the entire Dutch population has different kinds of PFAS in their blood. There is no reason to believe that the situation is fundamentally different elsewhere. 

The good news is that the commission and member states have taken action in recent years. Some well-known sources of PFAS pollution have been banned. However, we need a more structured and systematic approach that effectively tackles this problem, and provides certainty and predictability to businesses. We can stimulate innovation and support the transition to safer and more sustainable chemical substitutes at the same time. And we need strict rules that control pollution.  

Based on the request from several member states, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is working on a wide PFAS restriction and has just published its scientific opinion. Sound final opinions by the agency will be delivered later this year based on the latest available science and evidence, as well as on the socio-economic impact of possible restrictions. The European Commission will take this forward to provide regulatory clarity as a as soon as ECHA finishes its work. We support the transition away from forever chemicals and will seek a ban on PFAS in consumer goods and industrial uses where adequate alternatives exist. As always, any new rules need to be simple by design and give certainty, clarity and predictability for consumers as well as businesses.   

I also see opportunities ahead—many companies in the EU have taken the lead by investing in PFAS-free alternatives. We need to support that commitment. Clear European standards would avoid a patchwork of national rules and can help our companies lead in consumer trust, innovation, and sustainable solutions. Our goal is to foster a competitive, innovative and safe internal market, where businesses can flourish and where consumers know that human health and environment are protected.