PFAS stands for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, manufactured chemicals used around the world in many common household products. The Australian government is stepping up its interest in these substances, because of their ability to persist in humans, animals and the environment. PFAS are also found in refrigerants and a large number of components in HVAC systems.
Following growing EU pressure for regulations to better manage these substances, Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is calling for information on PFAS substances in Australian industry and products, and will host an online launch event on Wednesday 2 November 2022 at 1.30pm. Here is the full announcement:
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water would like to announce a call for information on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) listed on the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). This is our second call for information under the Industrial Chemicals Environment Management Standard (IChEMS).
The IChEMS consultation is now open for two months and will focus on:
• perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
• perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
• perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
So that we can assist our stakeholders in this process, we would like to invite you to an online launch event to be held on Wednesday 02 November 2022 at 1:30pm. At the launch we will be conducting an introduction to IChEMS and sharing further information on the call for information process. We will be answering questions on where these chemicals might be found, what information we are seeking, and why, and who this process applies to.
To register for this launch, please follow the Eventbrite link to be a part of this important conversation.
Information gathered through this collaborative consultation will be essential for developing well rounded management standards that work effectively for industry, the community, and for government. These chemicals are listed on the Stockholm Convention, and we need to understand whether they are currently being imported or used in Australia, and to get your views on whether the continued use of these chemicals is essential.
Should you require any further assistance or want to be added to our IChEMS distribution list, please do not hesitate to contact Linda Fox, Stakeholder Engagement Manager at [email protected] or call 0481 096 371.
We encourage the sharing of this email with your networks as we are keen to hear many voices and look forward to you joining the conversation.
Kind Regards
Rachel Burgess
Branch Head (A/g)
Environment Protection Division | Chemicals Management Branch
