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Earth EU

EU Plans Ban on 'Forever Chemicals' in Consumer Products (reuters.com) 11

The European Commission intends to propose a ban on the use of PFAS, or "forever chemicals", in consumer products, with exemptions for essential industrial uses, the EU's environment chief told Reuters. From a report: PFAS, or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, do not break down in the environment, raising concerns about the consequences of them building up in ecosystems, drinking water and the human body. They are used in thousands of items, from cosmetics and non-stick pans to aircraft and wind turbines, due to their resistance to extreme temperatures and corrosion.

"What we know we are looking for is a ban in consumer products," EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told Reuters in an interview. "This is something that is important for us human beings, of course, but also for the environment, but I think also for the industry so they know how they can phase out PFAS."

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EU Plans Ban on 'Forever Chemicals' in Consumer Products

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  • In the US, we call these laws that protect people and the environment "job killing regulations". We prefer simple, less complicated, and positive slogans like "Drill baby, drill!.'
  • ... back to petroleum based chemicals.

    • PFAS will remain on earth long after all petroleum derived cruft will be broken down. Even nuclear waste will last shorter than PFAS.
      • by PPH ( 736903 )

        According to Wikipedia:

        any PFAS such as PFOS and PFOA pose health and environmental concerns because they are persistent organic pollutants; they were branded as "forever chemicals" in an article in The Washington Post in 2018.[10] Some have half-lives of over eight years

        Eight years?!? OMG!! Twinkies half life is longer than that.

        • Eight years is the half-life in your body. That means that after eight years, you have eliminated half the PFAS. Assuming, you do not ingest more PFAS in the meantime, of course. This is quite long, as it lets them cause damage in the long term.

          But even when they are excreted from the body, PFAS are not broken down. They return as-is to the environment, and contaminate water, crops, meat, milk, and human beings again. This is why they are called forever chemical.

          Years-long half-time in the body, but permane

  • by curtain ( 115815 ) on Monday January 20, 2025 @01:21PM (#65103527)

    This is one way that the EU could slow walk subtle economic retaliation against the United States. Simply ban items made in the United States using some of the chemicals we continue to use that they are banning or have already banned.

    • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      This is one way that the EU could slow walk subtle economic retaliation against the United States. Simply ban items made in the United States using some of the chemicals we continue to use that they are banning or have already banned.

      They have done it in the past - Red No 3 food dye was only banned in the US just before the new year and takes effect in 2027. Europe has had it banned for a number of years already. And the products using it, including common ones like M&Ms and such, are formulated using n

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Meat is the big one. US meat isn't up to EU standards for the amount of fecal matter (shit) in it, or the amount of growth hormones in it and other stuff that isn't washed off completely by the chlorine.

  • Less PFAS is desirable, but if industrial use remain allowed, we will still drink and eat PFAS released in the environment. In the Jersey PFAS contamination story [theguardian.com], consumer products were not involved.

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