Beyond the Stockholm Convention

IDTechEx Discusses the New Regulations Targeting Forever Chemicals

BOSTON, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The signing of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2001 marked a historic moment, as it was the first global treaty aimed at eliminating or restricting chemicals harmful to human and environmental health. The addition of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) to the Convention in 2009 marked yet another milestone, as PFOS and its related substances became the first of the PFAS family to be regulated on an international level. PFAS stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances and are colloquially called 'forever chemicals' for their persistence in the environment. PFOS would not be the only 'forever chemical' regulated by the Convention, as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonate) were added in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

Despite the Stockholm Convention's international reach, its inclusion of just three PFAS chemicals only scratches the surface of the PFAS family, which, under the OECD definition of PFAS, includes nearly 5,000 substances. Given that research is increasingly identifying further risks that different PFAS pose to human and environmental health, activists and legislators worldwide are beginning to take a more active approach to regulating PFAS.

With a new framework of PFAS regulations potentially developing internationally, it is essential for businesses to understand the new PFAS regulatory landscape to identify its potential effect on them. This is particularly relevant for businesses in emerging high-tech industries, whose technologies may rely on the utilization of PFAS. In IDTechEx's report, 'Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2024: Emerging Applications, Alternatives, Regulations', a deep dive into the regulations surrounding PFAS in 8 different countries/regions is provided so that businesses in five key emerging markets could understand their impact in their respective industries. This article provides a brief look into the global regulatory landscape of PFAS in three key regions: Asia-Pacific, USA, and Europe.

Asia-Pacific (APAC): Aligning with the Stockholm Convention

In major APAC countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, there appears to be a general trend towards adopting and enforcing the restrictions on the specific PFAS outlined in the Stockholm Convention. This is most notable for China, which is a major chemical producer (including PFAS like PFOA). However, China does appear to be increasing regulations on its chemical industry broadly, having published the first List of New Pollutants for Priority Management in 2023.