ZDHC group outlines work on PFCs and ‘priority’ chemicals
25/06/2014
The list focuses the prioritised substances that do not have safer alternatives for all uses in the market today – such as short-chain fluorinated polymers and related substances which are associated with durable water repellency.
The group – which includes Nike, adidas and Jack Wolfskin - says it is encouraging key stakeholders to develop alternatives for chemicals on the Research List to move these chemicals more rapidly to the MRSL for supply chain phase-out.
“ZDHC members acknowledge that short-chain perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are, until safer alternatives are found, a substitute for long-chain PFCs,” it said.
“ZDHC has already started research on alternatives for short-chain PFCs because there is little data available on these technologies. There is, according to some authorities, a potential risk that short-chain PFCs may have comparable risks to long chain PFCs.
“Placing short chain PFCs on our Research List demonstrates that we are working with stakeholders to find replacements for short-chain PFCs. We fully acknowledge that this may take many years.
“As long as no safer alternative for durable water, oil and stain repellency and soil release with satisfactory performance level is found, some brands will continue using short-chain PFCs on their consumer products.
“In a few cases, due to the end use of the textile (eg, medical field, personal protective equipment, military), performance requirements must be considered more important than potential environmental risks.
“In these few cases, we acknowledge that there may never be suitable alternatives.”
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