Berlin – November 05, 2026 -- About 40,000 tonnes of PFAS "forever chemicals" are used as refrigerants in Europe every year despite the existing F-gas regulation, according to a study by Öko-Recherche for Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH). The study undercuts the chemical industry's main argument for exempting fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) from the planned EU PFAS restriction.
Study rejects the chemical industry's "double regulation" claim
Industry groups argue that F-gases are already adequately regulated and should be excluded from the PFAS restriction. DUH says the F-gas regulation phases out the most climate-damaging F-gases but still permits chemicals that harm health and pollute the environment. The study concludes that the 40,000-tonne volume remains unregulated from a PFAS perspective, and that this will continue without intervention.
R1234yf in millions of car air conditioners breaks down into TFA within days
DUH singles out R1234yf, a refrigerant used in millions of car air conditioning systems. When released, it degrades within days into trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The European Chemicals Agency recently classified TFA as toxic for reproduction.
TFA enters soil, rivers and groundwater with rain and accumulates over the long term. It cannot be removed from drinking water on a large scale. Alongside certain PFAS pesticides, refrigerants are the most significant source of TFA in the environment.
F-gases account for 63% of European PFAS emissions
F-gases, used mainly as refrigerants in passenger-car air conditioning, are the largest source of PFAS emissions in Europe at roughly 63%. DUH notes that natural alternatives exist. Newer fluorinated refrigerants are more climate-friendly than older F-gases but still break down into TFA in the atmosphere.
EU Commission to amend REACH after ECHA completes restriction proposal
The European Chemicals Agency is preparing a comprehensive PFAS restriction proposal. It analyzes individual PFAS applications and available PFAS-free alternatives, and provides for exemptions and transition periods. The EU Commission will use it as the basis for amending the REACH chemicals regulation.
DUH Managing Director Jürgen Resch accused the industry of downplaying even reproductive-toxic PFAS to protect billions in profits. DUH wants the Commission to ban PFAS wherever safe alternatives exist and to grant exemptions only where none are available, on a narrow and time-limited basis.