Taiwan to Designate More PFAS Substances as Toxic Chemicals

Editor's Note: The revised Categories and Management of Handling for Toxic Chemical Substances was published on May 13, 2025 to introduce the updates for toxic chemicals, including PFOS, its salts and PFOS-related compounds, PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, NP, NPEO. Details can be accessed here.

On Oct 21, 2024, Taiwan’s EPA issued a notice for public comments on draft amendments to the Categories and Management of Handling for Toxic Chemical Substances (hereafter referred to as the regulation), a subsidiary regulation under the Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Control Act (TCCSCA). The proposal is open for a 30-day public consultation period.

Proposed updates are summarized as below:

Nonylphenol, and Nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ether

• Add 12 CAS numbers for Nonylphenol, and 28 CAS numbers for Nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ether, based on EU REACH and the US TSCA;

• Tighten the control concentration standard (w/w %) from 5 to 0.01, in accordance with Entry 46 of the Restriction List under EU REACH (Annex XVII);

• Update their toxicity classification, as well as the prohibited operations and permitted uses.

PFOS salts and PFOS-related compounds

Five PFOS salts and PFOS-related compounds will be listed, including:

These substances may only be used for research, testing, and education, and in closed systems for hard metal plating.

For mixtures containing PFOS, lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate, or perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride, if these substances are not intentionally added and the total concentration does not exceed 10 mg/kg, they will not be regulated under this regulation.

PFOA salts and PFOA-related compounds

Appendix 1 Table 3 of the Regulation lists 353 chemicals that are included in the group of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, with their English names, CAS numbers, and structural formulas. Mixtures containing PFOA which is not intentionally added at concentrations not exceeding 0.025 mg/kg will not be subject to regulation.

These substances may only be used for:

1. Research, testing, and education;

2. Photolithography or etching processes in semiconductors;

3. Manufacturing of photographic film coatings;

4. Production of oil- and water-repellent textiles for labor use;

5. Manufacturing of PTFE and PVDF for industrial heat exchangers and seals;

6. Production of FEP for high-pressure wires and cables; and

7. Manufacturing of circular rings, triangular belts, and plastic parts for automotive interiors.

Transitional Measures

Companies that have handled the related substances will be granted a transition period to comply with licensing, registration, pre-approval, handling quantity recording, emergency response, labeling, SDS requirements, and personnel management.