Ban on PFAS Use and Production Proposed in European Union (1)

The production and use of forever chemicals in the European Union would be largely banned under a proposal issued Tuesday by the European Chemicals Agency.

The ban, which will affect about 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), will hit multiple economic activities and leave companies searching for alternatives for their products and production processes. The ban will also extend to imports to the EU of products containing PFAS.

The PFAS prohibition would be phased in through the late 2030s as derogations for some uses of PFAS run out.

Because PFAS uses are so widespread, the ban will affect thousands of ...