In a recent evaluation by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, significant environmental concerns have been highlighted regarding the substance 3-ethoxy-1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,6-dodecafluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)-hexane, also known as HFE-7500. This substance has been under scrutiny due to its potential risks to the environment and its persistence and bioaccumulation properties.
Evaluation Summary
HFE-7500 was included in the Community rolling action plan (CoRAP) for substance evaluation due to initial concerns about its potential persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT/vPvB), as well as its environmental exposure and wide dispersive use. The evaluation, performed by the competent authority of Spain, confirmed that HFE-7500 meets the criteria for being very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) .
Environmental Risks
The evaluation revealed that HFE-7500, due to its high volatility, could lead to emissions into the air during its use, particularly in industrial applications. Although it is primarily used in closed systems, the risk of environmental exposure cannot be entirely ruled out. The substance's high persistence and bioaccumulation potential mean that even minimal emissions could significantly contribute to environmental pollution .
Uses of HFE-7500
HFE-7500 is used in various industrial applications, primarily as a heat transfer fluid in closed systems. Previously, it was also used by professional workers and in the service life of articles such as vehicles and machinery. Hydrofluoroethers (HFEs) like HFE-7500 have been developed as third-generation replacements for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) due to their low stratospheric ozone depletion potential and relatively low global warming potential .
Regulatory Actions
Given the confirmed vPvB properties of HFE-7500, the evaluating Member State Competent Authority (eMSCA) supports the inclusion of HFE-7500 under the proposed universal restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) currently under development at the EU level. This restriction aims to address the manufacture, market placement, and use of PFAS due to their environmental and health risks .
The evaluation concludes that no further information is required under the current substance evaluation process. However, the risks associated with HFE-7500 will likely be managed under the broader PFAS restriction framework being developed within the EU. This regulatory approach aims to minimize emissions and environmental exposure to PFAS, thereby mitigating their long-term environmental impact .
