Peter Liese: Neither medicine nor the transformation to climate neutrality will work without PFAS

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is planning a permanent exemption from the planned ban on the PFAS chemicals for essential applications, e.g. in medicine or in the transformation to climate neutrality. This emerges from a letter that von der Leyen has addressed to a number of MEPs. Five member states had requested a comprehensive ban from the European Chemicals Agency ECHA, based in Helsinki. This led to opposition from the industry, as this group of substances is very, very diverse and in some areas the material is absolutely necessary. For example, the production of mRNA vaccines by BioNTech is only possible because the lipids required for this are produced with PFAS at Evonik's plant in Hanau, Germany. PFAS is equally indispensable in medical technology and in the production of hydrogen and wind turbines. Von der Leyen now writes that the Commission will provide for exemptions for these areas.

Dr. med. Peter Liese, environmental policy spokesman for the largest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), said: “As a doctor and environmental politician, I know that certain sub-substances of the PFAS group are dangerous. We should gradually replace PFAS wherever alternatives are available. However, in certain areas of application they are simply not replaceable and in many cases the risk is negligible. I am therefore very pleased with this clear statement from the Commission President.”