EU Moves to Restrict 'Forever Chemicals' in Firefighting Foams

The European Commission has just adopted new regulations to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams. Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/1988, issued on October 2, 2025, amends Annex XVII to the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.

The new regulation comes after calls from the EU Council in 2019 and the European Parliament in 2020 to eliminate non-essential uses of PFAS. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identified that risks associated with PFAS in firefighting foams are not adequately controlled, necessitating a Union-wide restriction.

Restriction Details

The regulation introduces a comprehensive ban on the placing on the market and use of PFAS in firefighting foams. The restriction covers the entire PFAS class, not just specific compounds or groups. It is defined as “any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3) or methylene (CF2) carbon atom (without any H/Cl/Br/I attached to it)”.

By October 23, 2030, it shall not place on the market or use PFAS in firefighting foams in a concentration equal to or greater than 1 mg/L for the sum of all PFAS. Notably, this restriction does not contradict with the existing Union level legislations, such as PFOA and PFOS ban under Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, C9-C14 PFCAs and PFHxA restriction under entry 68 and 79 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.

The regulation also introduces specific transitional periods to allow for adaption as follows:

Placing on the Market Derogations:

1. Until 23 October 2026: For firefighting foams in portable fire extinguishers.

2. Until 23 April 2027: For alcohol-resistant firefighting foams in portable fire extinguishers.

3. Until 23 October 2035: For firefighting foams used in:

• Establishments covered by Directive 2012/18/EU (excluding civilian aviation).

• Installations belonging to the offshore oil and gas industry.

• Military vessels.

• Civilian ships with firefighting foams placed on board before 23 October 2025.

Use Derogations:

1. Until 23 April 2027: For training and testing (except functional testing where all releases are contained), and for public and private fire services (unless intervening at industrial fires in Directive 2012/18/EU establishments, where specific use conditions apply).

2. Until 31 December 2030: For use in portable fire extinguishers.

3. Until 23 October 2035: For the same cases as the placing on the market derogations under point (c) above.

Management and Labeling Requirements (as of 23 October 2026):

In addition to sticking to the PFAS ban in firefighting foams, users of PFAS-containing firefighting foams under these derogations must:

• Ensure foams are only used for Class B fires.

• Reduce emissions to environmental compartments and human exposure to the lowest technically and practically possible level.

• Ensure separate collection and adequate treatment (destruction or irreversible transformation of PFAS content) of unused foams and PFAS-containing waste .

• Establish a site-specific "PFAS-containing firefighting foams management plan". This plan must be reviewed annually and kept for at least 15 years.

• Firefighting foams (excluding portable extinguishers) with PFAS concentration >= 1 mg/L placed on the market must be labelled. Unused stock and waste must also be labelled accordingly.

 The regulation is set to take effect on October 23, 2025.