EU Updates POPs Regulation for Firefighting Foams

On July 14, 2025, the European Commission published an amendment (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1399) to the POPs Regulation, extending an exemption for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in firefighting foams and clarifying contamination limits. The regulation, which became effective on August 3, 2025, addresses implementation challenges and provides more practical transition timelines for the industry.

The amendment extends the deadline for using PFOA in existing firefighting foams from July 4, 2025, to December 3, 2025. It also establishes new Unintentional Trace Contaminant (UTC) limits, including a temporary limit for existing systems that applies until August 3, 2028, to manage residual contamination during the transition to fluorine-free alternatives.

What this means for business

Operators of firefighting systems must cease using PFOA-containing foams by the new December 3, 2025 deadline. During the transition, they must adhere to the new UTC limits for residual contamination. The regulation also clarifies that articles containing PFOA already in use before the original exemption expired may continue to be used.

Source: Official Journal of the EU