PFOS Certification for Finished Products and Semi-Finished Products

Product Specification

PFOS Test
Project Introduction
PFOS (perfluorooctanesulphonate) is the abbreviation of perfluorooctane sulfonate. On December 27, 2006, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers jointly issued the "Directive on the Restriction of the Sale and Use of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate" (2006/122/EC). The directive came into effect on June 27, 2008 and was repealed on May 31, 2009. The corresponding control requirements were included in the REACH Regulation Restriction.

Directive Content
Content of the PFOS Restriction Directive

Restrict the use and market launch of PFOS products. It is not allowed to sell substances with a concentration or mass equal to or exceeding 0.005% of PFOS as a constituent substance or element. It is restricted to use PFOS in finished products and semi-finished products. It is not allowed to sell finished products, semi-finished products and parts containing PFOS concentration or mass equal to or exceeding 0.1% (1000ppm). The scope of restriction includes all products that intentionally add PFOS, including those used in specific parts and the coating surface of products, among which the limit for textiles and coating materials is 1μg/m2. However, the restrictions are only for new products, and there are no restrictions on products that are already in use or on the second-hand market.

Evaluate the directive. In order to gradually phase out the use of PFOS, when new situations or safe alternative products emerge, the scope of restrictions in the directive should be evaluated.
The US EPA has proposed the PFOA Stewardship Plan (PFOA Self-Reduction Plan), which means that PFOA emissions will be reduced by 95% by 2010 and 100% by 2015, that is, zero emissions.
The PoHS draft proposed by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) also clearly restricts the use of PFOA to 50ppm.
Application of PFOS
PFOS-related chemicals are now used in different products, mainly including three application areas:
1. PFOS-related chemicals used for surface treatment can ensure that personal clothing, home decoration, and car interiors are anti-fouling, oil-proof and waterproof.
2. PFOS-related chemicals used for paper protection, as part of pulp forming, can ensure that paper and paperboard are oil-proof and waterproof.
3. PFOS-related chemicals in the performance chemical category are widely used in specialized industrial, commercial and consumer fields. This category includes various PFOS salts that are commercialized as final products.
Hazards of PFOS
Perfluorinated chemicals accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are harmful to humans and wildlife. There is evidence that exposure to perfluorinated chemicals including PFOS and PFOA may cause birth defects, adversely affect the immune system, and disrupt thyroid function, which can cause many developmental problems during pregnancy.
PFOS limit
Directive 2006/122/EC stipulates that products with PFOS as a component shall not be sold if the concentration or mass is equal to or greater than 0.005%; for textiles or other coating materials, if the amount of PFOS in the coating material is equal to or greater than 1μg/m2, it is prohibited to sell. If the concentration or mass of PFOS in semi-finished products is equal to or greater than 0.1%, the semi-finished products and components are also included in the scope of the ban; the directive restrictions include all products that intentionally add PFOS, including those used in specific parts and product coating surfaces, such as textiles. However, the restrictions only apply to new products, and there are no restrictions on products that are already in use and on the second-hand market.

Classification Maximum concentration limit
Product ingredient formula 0.005%
50ppm
Semi-finished products or parts 0.1%
1000ppm
Textiles or coatings 1 ug/㎡
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid and salts)
Similarly, the European Parliament has also proposed EU restrictions on PFOA and PFOA salts, which are also suspected of carrying the same hazards as PFOS. The applications of PFOA and its derivatives include surface treatment of household products (such as non-stick cookware), convenient food packaging, etc. The European Commission has been asked to review dangerous incidents, find safer alternatives, and define risk reduction measures. The potential toxicity, widespread incidence, and persistence of PFOA in people of all ages have attracted great attention from the American public and supervisory authorities. According to documents, PFOA can cause testicular cancer of the liver and pancreas in animals, and PFOA is listed as a carcinogen in California's Proposition 65.