On May 30, 2023, the European Commission announced its decision to adopt a proposal to amend Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, determining the inclusion of PFHxS, its salts, and related compounds in the list of prohibited substances under the POPs regulation;
On August 8, 2023, Regulation (EU) 2023/1608 was published in the official gazette, officially listing PFHxS, its salts, and related substances on the list of prohibited substances under the EU POPs regulation. This regulation will come into effect on the 20th day after its publication in the official gazette. The list of prohibited substances in Annex I of the EU POPs regulation will also be officially increased from 28 to 29.
| Substance name | CAS No | Restriction requirements |
Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and PFHxS related compounds refer to the following: (1) Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, including any branched isomers thereof; (2) Its salts; (3) PFHxS related compounds: For the purpose of the Convention, any substance containing C6F13S chemical components as one of its structural elements that can be degraded into PFHxS. | 355-46-4 and others | Substance, mixture, or item PFHxS and its salts: ≤ 0.025 mg/kg Sum of PFHxS related substances: ≤ 1mg/kg Fire foam mixture PFHxS and its salts, PFHxS related substances: ≤ 0.1mg/kg (to be reviewed before August 28, 2026) |
about PFHxS
The full name of PFHxS is perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, and its salts and related substances are often used as substitutes for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), commonly used for the following purposes:
L Fire foam (AFFF)
L Metal electroplating
Textile, leather, and interior decoration
Polishing agents, cleaning/detergents, coatings
Paper products, electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, and other fields
In addition, other potential use categories may include insecticides, flame retardants, paper and packaging, petroleum industry, and hydraulic oils. PFHxS, its salts, and PFHxS related compounds have been used in certain consumer products based on PFAS.
