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Denmark released a new executive order banning the import and sale of clothing, footwear, and certain impregnation agents containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
The executive order, officially known as "Bekendtgørelse om forbud mod import og salg til forbrugere af beklædning, fodtøj og visse imprægneringsmidler, der indeholder PFAS" (Executive Order on the prohibition of import and sale to consumers of clothing, footwear and certain impregnating agents containing PFAS, BEK NR 464), was issued by the Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality on May 2, 2025.
Under the new regulation, businesses and private individuals will be prohibited from importing or selling new clothing, footwear, or impregnation products that contain a total fluorine content of 50 mg F/kg or more.
The regulation does not identify any PFAS list, instead only provides the PFAS definition as “containing only the following structural elements: CF3-X or X-CF2-Xˈ, where X = -OR or -NRRˈ and Xˈ = a methyl group (-CH3), a methylene group (-CH2-), an aromatic group, a carbonyl group (-C(O)-), -ORˈˈ, -SRˈˈ or -NRˈˈRˈˈˈ, and where R/Rˈ/Rˈˈ/Rˈˈˈ is a hydrogen atom (-H), a methyl group (-CH3), a methylene group (-CH2-), an aromatic group or a carbonyl group (-C(O)-)” |
The order will come into force on July 1, 2025, with the actual prohibitions on import and sale taking effect from July 1, 2026. To allow businesses to adjust, the sale of existing stock by businesses will be permitted until January 1, 2027.
Certain exemptions apply, including recycled or reused clothing and footwear, personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to protect the user from risks as specified in Regulation (EU) 2016/425, PPE that relies on PFAS for safety functions, medical devices, and cargo in transit. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Miljøstyrelsen) will oversee compliance and has the authority to grant exemptions in special cases.
