PFAS
CDX Solutions for Confident PFAS Compliance
Navigate PFAS complexity with smarter data and trusted tools
CDX offers organizations a comprehensive solution to manage the growing challenges of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations. As thousands of these "forever chemicals" face increasing restrictions worldwide, CDX provides critical tools to track, analyze, and ensure compliance while turning regulatory challenges into strategic advantages.
CDX Features That Simplify PFAS Compliance
Complete Product Tracking
PFAS Declarable Substance List
Central Document Storage and Analysis
Quick Impact Analysis
Focus on Important Levels
Benefits of Using CDX
CDX simplifies and streamlines regulatory compliance across industries by offering a powerful platform for material data management. It ensures compliance with global regulations, enhances supply chain transparency, and reduces operational risk.
Comprehensive Regulatory Compliance Across Multiple Industries
- CDX supports compliance with major global regulations like REACH, RoHS, SCIP, PFAS, California Proposition 65, EU POPs, TSCA, EU Battery Regulation (2023/1542), and more.
- CDX includes substance lists like AD-DSL, HEDSL, GADSL, RISL, and the IAEG PFAS List, ensuring industry-specific compliance coverage.
Simplified Supply Chain Communication
- Built-in workflows and multilingual communication tools enable seamless data exchange between suppliers and customers.
- Free for suppliers to respond to material data requests, improving data accuracy and response rates.
- CDX enables multi-tier data requests and traceability, reducing manual follow-ups and ensuring a smoother compliance process.
Automated Data Collection and Reusability
- CDX allows for data reuse by linking material declarations (MDS) and supplier inputs across multiple products and customers.
- It includes tools to import/export standardized data (e.g., IPC-1752A, IPC-1754), minimizing duplication and saving time.
SCIP Database Integration
- CDX automates the creation and submission of SCIP dossiers, ensuring compliance with EU Waste Framework Directive requirements.
- It supports ECHA´s API for direct uploads and manages required data such as substance of concern, article identifiers, and material categories.
Risk Mitigation
- Helps prevent product recalls by ensuring accurate tracking of hazardous and restricted substances throughout the product lifecycle.
- Supports early detection of non-compliant materials, reducing regulatory exposure and costly late-stage design changes.
Security & Data Protection
- Adheres to high security standards such as ISO certifications and Oracle-powered cloud infrastructure.
- Ensures secure data storage, controlled access, and compliance with global data protection regulations.
Easy Integration with Existing Systems
- Offers APIs and web services for smooth connection to ERP, PLM, and other enterprise systems.
- Compatible with multiple data formats including IPC, IEC, and IMDS, reducing technical friction.
One Platform - Two Powerful Solutions
Material Data Reporting
Stay ahead of global regulations like REACH, SCIP, and RoHS with CDX´s Material Data Reporting tools. Collect, validate, and share material data across your supply chain with ease. Our advanced features ensure compliance, transparency, and streamlined communication.
- Simplify material data collection and reporting
- Leverage advanced analytics for compliance insights
- Seamlessly integrate with standards like IPC-1754 and IEC 62474
Responsible Minerals Reporting
Take control of your conflict minerals compliance with our Responsible Minerals Reporting solution. Designed for regulatory frameworks like the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act, CDX empowers your team to meet due diligence requirements and drive sustainable sourcing.
- Simplify Conflict Minerals Declaration (CMD) management
- Expand reporting with the Extended Minerals Declaration (EMD)
- Ensure traceability with centralized smelter validation
PFAS Compliance: What You Need to Know
What are PFAS and where did they come from?
The story of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) begins in the 1940s when Roy Plunkett at DuPont's laboratory accidentally discovered PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), marking the birth of what would become a vast family of synthetic chemicals. Within just a decade, through extensive studies and well-funded research, PFAS becoming integral to numerous products we use daily.
What makes PFAS different from other chemicals?
PFAS comprise over 10,000 human-made chemicals with diverse structures both polymers (like PTFE, commonly known as Teflon), non-polymers (like PFOA, PFOS) and F-gases (HFCs). The key to their properties lies in the carbon-fluorine bond, which is one of the strongest in organic chemistry, giving PFAS exceptional stability and resistance to heat, water, and chemicals.
This stability makes PFAS valuable in various applications, from non-stick cookware and water-resistant clothing to firefighting foams. They are used in electronics for circuit boards and cleaning, in automotive for coatings and lubricants, and in aerospace for seals and specialized coatings. Fluorinated gases in refrigeration and air conditioning represent over half of all PFAS emissions globally.
However, the same properties that make PFAS commercially valuable create environmental and health challenges. PFAS don't break down easily - earning them the name "forever chemicals" - with some polymers taking up to 1,000 years to degrade by half. This persistence allows them to contaminate soil and water across the globe.
Why are PFAS a concern for the environment and health?
The widespread use of PFAS has led to their presence throughout our environment. They have been detected in rainwater across Europe, in wildlife from polar bears to fish, and even in snow on Mount Everest. A particularly concerning case occurred in Ronneby, Sweden, where firefighting foams from a military airport contaminated drinking water for one-third of the population.
Health research has linked PFAS exposure to several concerning effects.
Source: https://www.wehnonline.org/pfas
Testing has revealed PFAS in human bodies worldwide, including high-level officials in the European Commission. Research has even found multiple types of PFAS in breast milk from nearly one-third of donors in one study, raising serious concerns about early-life exposure.
How are governments responding to PFAS?
Countries are increasingly recognizing the urgent need for robust regulations to protect public health and the environment from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Governments around the world are implementing various measures to control PFAS, ranging from targeted restrictions to comprehensive bans. The European Union is considering a comprehensive ban on PFAS within the products, aiming to regulate thousands of these substances across various sectors.
Meanwhile, other countries are implementing more targeted restrictions. In the United States, several states are taking action to prohibit intentionally added PFAS in specific product categories. Canada is implementing a phased ban across industrial and consumer sectors, focusing on eliminating PFAS in consumer products like cosmetics, food packaging, and textiles. Other nations, including Japan, Singapore and China, are also developing their own approaches to PFAS regulation.
How can businesses turn PFAS compliance into a strategic advantage?
This global trend restricting PFAS in consumer products presents additional challenges due to inconsistent PFAS definitions challenges and different implementation timelines. In response, major chemical manufacturers are adapting their strategies - 3M plans complete PFAS elimination from their portfolio, while Chemours, Arkema, and Solvay are taking gradual approaches. These shifts create challenges for organizations using PFAS-containing products.
While PFAS regulations challenge businesses, they also create strategic opportunities. Companies proactively addressing these issues can transform potential threats into competitive advantages. Knowledge is the essential first step. Businesses must understand where PFAS exist in their products, supply chains, and manufacturing processes through comprehensive assessment of potential presence points. With this knowledge, companies can develop effective strategies:
- Reduce legal risks by addressing PFAS issues early
- Enhance reputation through environmental responsibility
- Manage compliance with evolving regulations
- Lead in developing PFAS-free alternatives
Understanding which substances are being used by which manufacturers enables quick action, helping companies prepare for supply chain changes with minimal disruption. Companies that start using PFAS-free options early, can become environmental leaders, potentially attracting more environmentally conscious customers. The transition also creates research and development opportunities for innovation-focused companies.
The question for businesses is no longer whether they should act, but how quickly they can adapt before PFAS-free solutions become standard. By taking proactive steps, companies can navigate this complex issue while protecting business interests and contributing to environmental and public health goals.
Additional Resources
CDX Whitepaper
Decoding PFAS
CDX Whitepaper
PFAS Reporting Requirements in Canada
CDX Updates to Streamline Your PFAS Compliance
PFAS: EU PFAS Restriction Proposal Moves Ahead
PFAS: Canada Takes Significant Step to Regulate PFAS
United States, Maine: DEP Proposes New Rule to Regulate PFAS in Products
PFAS: New Mexico Becomes Third State to Ban Intentionally Added PFAS in Products
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Get SCIP Ready
Use CDX to report substances of concern and ensure your products meet EU SCIP database requirements.
Comply with REACH
CDX helps you manage and document chemical substances across your supply chain to comply with REACH.
Meet RoHS Standards
Leverage CDX to track and limit hazardous substances in electronics and electrical equipment efficiently.
Stay CA Prop 65 Compliant
CDX helps you identify and manage chemicals listed under California´s Proposition 65 requirements.
Align with EU POPs Regulation
Track and manage Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in your products using CDX to meet EU regulatory obligations and protect environmental and human health.
Ensure Responsible Sourcing
Use CDX to collect and validate Conflict Minerals and Extended Materials data across your supply chain.
Optimize Compliance. Stay compliant and competitive in a changing regulatory landscape.
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