Is there a new standard for the limit of PFOA in EU textiles? - Clothing Manufacturer

Recently, the European Commission issued a technical trade measures notification and plans to amend Annex XVII of the REACH regulations. According to the draft, the EU will completely ban the production and marketing of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts. No substance, mixture or article may contain more than 25 micrograms per kilogram (ppb) of PFOA and its salts and may not contain more than 1,000 ppb of PFOA-related substances. Although this is a draft for comments, it is certain that foreign textiles have stricter requirements for the restriction of harmful substances. Let’s introduce PFOA.

What is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an organic strong acid, highly toxic, and moderately irritating to the eyes and skin. It can be absorbed by the human body through ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, etc., causing peroxisome reproduction in the human body and affecting energy transfer. , destroy cell membranes, etc., thereby inducing diseases such as cancer and hepatomegaly.

Specific applications in the field of textile and clothing

1. Waterproof, oil-repellent, easy-to-decontaminate finishing agent for textile and clothing.

2. Adding 0.05% fluorocarbon surfactant to the oil used in the weaving process of synthetic fibers can greatly enhance the leveling and spreading properties of the oil, thereby improving the diffusivity of the oil on the surface of the synthetic fibers and increasing the synthetic fiber surface. Lubricity of fiber surface.

3. Add antistatic fluorocarbon surfactant additives to the spinning solution or to the solvent used in subsequent processing of the fiber. It gives the fiber surface hygroscopicity and ionicity, thereby improving the conductivity of the fiber. , to prevent and eliminate static electricity.

4. On textiles treated with finishing agents, the interfacial tension is very low, and it is difficult to print and dye the desired pattern with ordinary paint. If a fluorocarbon surfactant with a lower interfacial tension than the product is added to the coating or dye printing paste to change the surface properties of the coating or dye, the finished product can be printed or dyed.

The hazards of perfluorooctanoic acid

1. Persistence:

PFOS/PFOA are extremely persistent and difficult to decompose organic pollutants. They will not decompose even after being boiled in concentrated sulfuric acid for an hour. According to relevant research, no obvious degradation was found in the hydrolysis of perfluorooctane sulfonate at various temperatures and pH levels; PFOS has good stability in both oxygenated and anaerobic environments, and can be used in various Extensive research on microorganisms and conditions shows that PFOS shows no signs of degradation. The only time PFOS decomposes is during incineration at high temperatures.

2. Bioaccumulative

Experimental studies have shown that PFOS/PFOA can accumulate in organic organisms. There is much evidence that aquatic food chain organisms have a strong accumulation effect on PFOS/PFOA. PFOS/PFOA in water is transferred to higher organisms including humans through the accumulation of aquatic organisms and the food chain. Contrary to what is typically the case with many persistent organic pollutants, PFOS/PFOA do not accumulate in fatty tissue. This is because PFOS/PFOA is both hydrophobic and lipophobic. Instead, PFOS/PFOA attaches to proteins in the blood and liver. According to research results from EPA, European, Japanese and Chinese research institutions, PFOS/PFOA and its derivatives are difficult to be excreted by organisms through respiratory inhalation, drinking water, food intake, etc., and eventually accumulate in the human body, In the blood, liver, kidney, and brain of living organisms.

3. Toxicity

Relevant experts’ studies on the toxicity of PFOS/PFOA have found that PFOS is liver toxic and affects fat metabolism; it reduces the number of sperm in experimental animals and increases the number of abnormal sperm; it causes an increase in peroxide products in multiple organs of the body, causing oxidative damage. Directly or indirectly damage genetic material and cause tumors; PFOS destroys the balance of excitatory and inhibitory amino acid levels in the central nervous system, making animals more likely to be excited and irritated; delays the growth and development of young animals, affecting memory and conditioned reflex arcs Establish; decrease serum thyroid hormone levels. A large number of investigations and studies have found that PFOS/PFOA has various toxicities such as genotoxicity, male reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, developmental toxicity and endocrine disrupting effects. It is considered a type of environmental pollutant with systemic multi-organ toxicity.

4. The ability to migrate to long-distance environments

PFOS/PFOA itself does not volatilize in large quantities. Because PFOS/PFOA is surface-active, it is assumed that migration in the atmosphere is primarily limited to particles. Given that PFOS/PFOA is extremely resistant to degradation in all tests performed, the atmospheric half-life of this substance is expected to be more than two days, and the indirect photolysis half-life of PFOS/PFOA is estimated to be more than 3.7 years.

PFOS/PFOA has the ability to be transported to the environment over long distances, and the scope of pollution is very wide. According to relevant data, traces of PFOS contamination are found in ecological environment samples, wild animals and human bodies in investigated groundwater, surface water and seawater around the world, even in inaccessible Arctic regions.

Compared with PFOS, most of the current data show that the pollution level of PFOA in the environment, especially in water bodies, is much higher than that of PFOS, but the content in wild organisms is lower than that of PFOS. This may be due to the fact that PFOS has a stronger potency than PFOA. Bioaccumulation is related to amplification ability.

Historical Issues with PFOA

2000

3M Company, the main manufacturer of PFOS in the United States, announced a ban on the production and application of this type of substance, which attracted the attention of the public, environmental science community, developed countries, and international organizations on PFOS. The “DuPont Teflon non-stick pan incident” in 2004 even more It has brought people’s attention to PFOS to a new level.

December 27, 2006

The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers jointly issued the “Directive on Restrictions on the Sales and Use of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate”, and the EU will strictly restrict the use of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

October 2012

According to media reports, researchers from an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Amsterdam conducted tests on 14 outdoor clothing brands including Wolf Claw, Adidas, Vaude, The North Face and other well-known manufacturers, and tested 14 randomly selected raincoats. The harmful chemical perfluorooctanoic acid was found in , rain pants.

October 17, 2014

Germany has submitted a proposal to restrict the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in accordance with the REACH regulations.

December 17, 2014

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has issued a proposal requiring restrictive measures on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanoate and its derivatives (substances that may decompose into PFOA). If nothing goes wrong, PFOA will become Annex 17 of REACH 65th restricted substance.

2015

Under the pressure of public opinion, the famous sportswear brand PUMA promised to ban long-chain PFCs (perfluorinated compounds) globally before New Year’s Day in 2015, and to ban other PFCs except long-chain PFCs before December 31, 2017.

Adidas has also promised to phase out the use of long-chain PFCs by January 1, 2015, and ensure that 99% of its products do not contain PFCs by December 31, 2017.