BERLIN—Germany's engineering industry association, VDMA, has called on European Union authorities to reconsider proposals to ban around 10,000 per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
On March 22, the European Chemical Agency launched a six-month consultation process on the proposals, drawn up by Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
In its recently issued response, VDMA warned that a wholesale ban would "threaten the existence of many mechanical engineering companies."
Many "indispensable components such as seals" would be affected bringing "serious consequences for many everyday products," said the industry body.
Adding that "practically every machine" and product produced would be impacted, VDMA emphasized that "there is no substitute for (PFAS) today or in the foreseeable future.
"We support the EU's plan to ban all harmful PFAS if they enter the environment," said VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann.
He added, however, that this criterium only applies to some substances covered by the EU proposals.
"The EU is overshooting the mark by far with this regulation," he added, noting that "no one can predict the consequences if 10,000 substances are now banned."
