- Department:Evaluation Management Division
In response to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (referred to as the Stockholm Convention) adding perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, its salts and related compounds to the list of controlled substances, the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) has drafted the amendment to the "Categories and Management of Handling for Toxic Chemical Substances", which lists perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, its salts and related compounds as toxic chemical substances, and sets out the regulations on the operations and management to strengthen the control and management of toxic chemical substances in the country.
The MOENV has stated that Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) possess characteristics such as resistance to degradation, long-range transport, and bioaccumulation, posing risks to the health of living organisms. In response to this, the United Nations established the Stockholm Convention to eliminate, restrict, and reduce POPs to protect human health and the environment. This notice is in accordance with the Stockholm Convention, which decides the addition of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, its salts and related compounds. Following the directives outline in the Stockholm Convention’s indicative list, Annex I of Item 1 of the announcement has been amended to include 147 kinds of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, its salts and related compounds, aligning with international regulatory measures.
The MOENV indicated that PFHxS-related substances have been listed in Annex A (Elimination) of the Stockholm Convention since 2022. This inclusion is due to their environmental persistence and bioconcentration characteristics, making them fall under the category of Class 1 toxic chemical substance according to the Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Control Act. In this draft, these substances are regulated regardless of their concentrations and strictly prohibited except for the purpose of research, experiment, and education, whereas the control concentration standards of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride, and perfluorooctanoic acid are 0.01% before the amendment comes into effect.
In Taiwan, PFHxS-related substances are only used for the purpose of research, experiment, and education according to the MOENV survey. As a result, the impact of this ban may be quite limited.
The operation of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, its salts and related compounds, includes regulations such as permit application, labeling, transportation, detection and alarm equipment, the appointment of professional technical management personnel, and the establishment of professional response personnel. These regulations provide a phased implementation buffer time for businesses ranging from six months to one and a half years.
Additionally, the operation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride and perfluorooctanoic acid with concentrations below 0.01% involves regulations such as permit application, hazard prevention, and contingency planning provisions. These regulations also provide a phased implementation buffer period for businesses ranging from six months to one and a half years.
With respect to information about this announcement,
please go to MOENV's website to download the attachment ; or go to the Executive Yuan Gazette Online to download related information after 3 days. Comments for the draft amendment are welcom within 30 days from the publication date of the notice.
