Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS)

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) is a persistent organic pollutants (POP) and was included to the Annex B of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.  PFOS is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic to mammalian species.  PFOS is widely used as surface treatment agents for textiles, leather products, paper, furniture and carpets for its excellent waterproofing and oil-resistance performance.

PFOS and REACH Annex XVII

PFOS was originally included in REACH annex xvii restricted substances list . After PFOS was added to the Annex B of the Stockholm Convention in 2009, the European Commission removed PFOS from REACH annex xvii and added it to the annex I of the Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on persistent organic pollutants. PFOS is now regulated as a persistent organic pollutant (POP) in EU.  Its restriction conditions (see table below) are set by COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 757/2010 amending the annex I of the Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on POPs.

Product	Limit
Substances or preparations	The concentration of PFOS <=10 mg/kg
Semi-finished products or articles, or parts	The concentration of PFOS <0.1 % by weight calculated with reference to the mass of structurally or micro-structurally distinct parts that contain PFOS.
Textiles or other coated materials	The amount of PFOS i<1 μg/m2 of the coated material.
Excepted uses:	Photoresists or anti reflective coatings for photolithography processes, photographic coatings, provided certain conditions are met.

Other restricted hazardous substances on REACH annex XVII include:

• Azocolourants and Azodyes (entry 43)
• Polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (entry 50)
• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) (entry 53, deleted in 2010 and subject to EU POPs regulation now.)
• Pthalates (entry 51 and 52)
• Cadmium and its compounds (entry 23)
• Nickel and its compounds (entry 27)
• Lead and its compounds (entry 63)
• Mercury and its compounds (entry 
• Chromium VI compounds (entry 47)
• Arsenic compounds (entry 19)
• Nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates (entry 46)
• Organostannic compounds (entry 20)
• Hazardous solvents (benzene, cyclohexane,triclorobenzene, chloroform, toluene, etc);
• CMR 1A/1B substances listed in the annex VI of CLP regulation (28, 29, 30)

Some substances are literally banned by REACH annex XVII. These substances include Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs),asbestos fibres, pentachlorophenol and and its salts and esters, and  monomethyl-tetrachlorodiphenyl methane. Many of them are persistent organic pollutants (POPs). A complete list of banned persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention can be accessed here. 

Reference:

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS)