A European and worldwide system has been put in place to ban a certain number of molecules known as PFAS.
The decision making criteria used by environmental agencies such as REACH are fairly self-explanatory: the aim is to eliminate persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic substances if alternatives exist.
As far as HFOs are concerned, Germany, followed by four Nordic countries, has asked for them to be analysed by REACH as part of the ongoing mechanism on harmful PFASs. HFOs are neither persistent, bio-accumulative nor toxic, and therefore do not meet the REACH criteria.
This has been confirmed on numerous occasions. When these molecules were submitted to REACH in order to be sold on the European market, the authority’s conclusion each time confirmed the non-persistence, non-bioaccumulation and non-toxicity of the molecules.