The European Union is tightening its regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). With Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 adopted in September 2024, the EU has approved binding requirements that will come into force gradually from 2026 and ban the use of certain PFAS in numerous products.
From April 2026, PFAS will be banned in firefighting foams, among other things.
The regulation primarily affects everyday applications such as textiles, food packaging made from paper and cardboard, cosmetics, and firefighting foams. The regulation marks another important step in dealing with a group of substances that has been politically and socially controversial for years due to their high environmental persistence.
PFAS are synthetically manufactured chemicals characterized by high chemical stability and water-, grease-, and dirt-repellent properties. These characteristics have made them indispensable for numerous industrial and commercial applications over decades. At the same time, many representatives of this substance group are suspected of being harmful to health and permanently accumulating in the environment and organisms. Against this background, the EU is pursuing the goal of gradually reducing risks from PFAS and limiting their use to indispensable applications.
No More PFAS in Consumer Products From October 2026
The newly adopted regulation provides that initial bans will take effect from April 2026, particularly in the area of firefighting foams used for training, testing, and public firefighting purposes. From October 2026, the PFAS defined in the regulation may also no longer be used in numerous consumer products.
Further restrictions will follow in subsequent years. Certain applications, such as in medical technology, personal protective equipment, or in construction, remain exempt for the time being. Products already placed on the market before the respective deadlines are not affected by the new regulations.
The current regulation is part of a longer-term European strategy. In recent years, individual PFAS such as PFOA have already been banned. In parallel, a much more far-reaching regulatory process is underway at EU level. Within the framework of the European REACH chemicals regulation, a proposal for an almost complete PFAS ban has been submitted, which was the subject of an extensive public consultation. This consultation generated an exceptionally high number of submissions from industry, science, associations, and civil society, highlighting the scope of the project.
Discussion About General Ban Continues
This year, EU authorities’ work is focused on evaluating this consultation and further political coordination. A decision on a possible comprehensive PFAS ban is still pending. Observers currently do not expect such a general ban to come into force before 2027. Nevertheless, the direction of European chemicals policy is considered clear: regulatory pressure on PFAS applications will continue to increase.
For industry, this development has far-reaching consequences. While the new bans initially primarily affect consumer goods, technical applications are increasingly coming into focus of the debate. This also applies to the sealing industry, in which PFAS-containing fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene play a central role due to their chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and longevity. Although these applications remain largely unaffected by the current regulation, manufacturers are watching the discussion about a possible general ban with growing attention.
