Acceptable Purposes: PFOS, its salts and PFOSF

Register of Acceptable Purposes on PFOS, its salts and PFOSF pursuant to paragraph 1 of part III of annex B of the Stockholm Convention

By decision SC-9/4, the Conference of the Parties decided to amend Annex B with a new listing, which includes amended specific exemptions and acceptable purposes for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF). These amendments entered into force on 3 December 2020, on expiry of one year from the date of communication by the depositary of the adoption of the amendment, for all Parties that have not submitted a notification of non-acceptance according to paragraph 3 (b) of Article 22. For those Parties that made a declaration pursuant to paragraph 4 of Article 25, the amendment will enter into force on the ninetieth day after deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (CAS No 1763-23-1), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (CAS No 307-35-7)

Acceptable purposes under amendment decision SC-9/4

Acceptable purpose activities for all entries:
• Insect baits with sulfluramid (CAS No. 4151-50-2) for control of leaf cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp.
Party
Production
(x = received)
Use
(x = received)
Chemical name of precursor
Date
Remarks
Ongoing
Planned
Ongoing
Planned
Argentina - - X - Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (CAS No. 1763-23-1) and its derivatives 29/05/2023 SENASA reports no replacements available. Products registered under National Register of Plant Therapeutics. For agricultural use only.

Note: Translation from Spanish.
Brazil - From Sep. 2020 X - Perfluorooctane sulphonyl fluoride (PFOS-F) (CAS No. 307-35-7) 27/11/2020 Used as an intermediate in the production of insect baits with sulfluramid for the control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp. for agricultural use only.
Costa Rica - - X - Commercial names: Mart Drim 0.3 GB, Disa Drim 0.3 GB, Mirex-S 0.3 GB 22/11/2023 Under Costa Rican regulations, each pesticide needs to be registered for each concentration, type of formulation, place of origin, formulator or manufacturer. Only pesticides with a current registered number are allowed.

Note: Translation from Spanish.
Viet Nam - - X - N-Ethylperfluorooctane-1-sulfonamide (CAS No. 4151-50-2) 30/08/2022 Viet Nam has regulated PFOS management under Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP. Monitoring implemented under Circular No. 10/2021/TT-BTNMT including techniques for monitoring POPs in environment components and articles.

Acceptable purposes under decision SC-4/17

Party
Production
(x = received)
Use
(x = received)
Acceptable purpose activities
Chemical name
of the precursor
(if relevant)
Date
Remarks
Ongoing
Planned
Ongoing
Planned
Canada X 10/12/2010 • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
• Fire-fighting foam 		21/12/2010
China, People's Republic of X X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
• Certain medical devices (such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) layers and radio-opaque ETFE production, in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, and CCD colour filters)
• Fire-fighting foam 		18/03/2014 Applicable to Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR of China

Archived acceptable purposes (Parties for which the 2019 amendment entered into force)

In 2019, by decision SC-9/4, the Conference of the Parties adopted an amendment to the entry in Annex B relating to PFOS, its salts and PFOSF. The amendment lists specific exemptions and an acceptable purpose in accordance with Part III of Annex B for the acceptable purpose or as an intermediate in the production of chemicals for insect baits with sulfluramid (CAS No. 4151-50-2) as an active ingredient for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp for agricultural use only. 

Parties for which the amendment entered into force on 3 December 2020 and that had previously registered specific exemptions are listed below.

Party
Production
(x = received)
Use
(x = received)
Acceptable purpose activities
Chemical name
of the precursor
(if relevant)
Date of notification
Remarks
Ongoing
Planned
Ongoing
Planned
Brazil X X • Insect baits for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp. Perfluorooctane sulphonyl fluoride (PFOS-F) (*) 18/11/2010 (*) Intermediate in the production of sulfluramid, for the production of insect baits for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp and Acromyrrmex spp.
Cambodia X • Fire-fighting foam No specific chemicals identified in the NIP update. 20/01/2016 The needs for continued use of stockpiles of PFOS containing fire fighting foam was determined by our NIP update submitted to the Secretariat.
Czechia X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems 		11/08/2010
European Union X X • Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems. 31/03/2011 The EU restriction is not limited to PFOS, its salts and PFOS-F but covers all PFOS derivatives defined as C8F17SO2X, X= OH, metal salt (O-M+), halide, amide, and other derivatives including polymers.

Please note that the fire-fighting foams that were placed on the EU market before 27 December 2006 may be used until 27 June 2011.
Japan X X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resistant and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Certain medical devices 		Perfluotooctane-1-sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS-F, CAS No. 307-.35-7) 02/09/2010
Norway X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems 		28/10/2010
Switzerland X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
• Fire-fighting foam 		15/03/2011 Although PFOS-based aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) can no longer be manufactured, or purchased in Switzerland, remaining stocks are allowed to be used in cases of an emergency by fire brigades until 2014 and in stationary installations until 2018.
Republic of Korea X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
• Certain medical devices (such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) layers and radio-opaque ETFE production, in-vitro diagnostic medical devices and CCD colour filters) 		15/05/2018
Türkiye X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems 		12/05/2015
Vietnam X X • Photo-imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters
• Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
• Certain medical devices (such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) layers and radio-opaque ETFE production, in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, and CCD colour filters)
• Fire-fighting foam
• Insect baits for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp. 		• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (CAS No: 1763-23-1)
• Potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 2795-39-3)
• Lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 29457-72-5)
• Ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 29081-56-9)
• Diethanol-ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 70225-14-8)
• Tetraethyl-ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 56773-42-3)
• Didecyldimethyl-ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 251099-16-8)
• Perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (CAS No: 307-35-7) 		16/04/2013 Vietnam is in the process of PFOS inventory and will update information when available.
Zambia X 30/05/2014 • Aviation hydraulic fluids
• Fire-fighting foam 		Zambia is currently conducting PFOS inventory. Information will be provided the inventory is completed. 02/05/2014 Zambia is currently conducting PFOS inventory. Information will be provided the inventory is completed.

Withdrawal from the PFOS Register

Parties listed in the Register of acceptable purposes on PFOS, its salts and PFOSF may withdraw their name from the Registry, at any time, upon a written notification to the Secretariat (paragraph 8 of Part III, Annex B). 

Party
Activity
Date of notification
Date of withdrawal
Remarks at date of notification
Withdrawal notification
European Union Production and use for:

• Aviation hydraulic fluids 		31/03/2011 09/06/2017 The EU restriction is not limited to PFOS, its salts and PFOS-F but covers all PFOS derivatives defined as C8F17SO2X, X= OH, metal salt (O-M+), halide, amide, and other derivatives including polymers.

Please note that the fire-fighting foams that were placed on the EU market before 27 December 2006 may be used until 27 June 2011. 		Withdrawal notification - The European Union would now like to inform you that the production and use of PFOS for the acceptable purpose "aviation hydraulic fluids" is no longer required. Consequently, the European Union would like to withdraw the notification of the production and use of PFOS for the acceptable purpose "aviation hydraulic fluids" and would like to request you to delete that entry from the registry.
European Union Production and use for:

• Photo imaging

• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors

• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters 		31/03/2011 17/07/2019 The EU restriction is not limited to PFOS, its salts and PFOS-F but covers all PFOS derivatives defined as C8F17SO2X, X= OH, metal salt (O-M+), halide, amide, and other derivatives including polymers.

Please note that the fire-fighting foams that were placed on the EU market before 27 December 2006 may be used until 27 June 2011. 		Withdrawal notification - The European Union would now like to inform you that the production and use of PFOS for the following acceptable purposes is no longer required:
• Photo imaging
• Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors
• Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters.
Consequently, the European Union would like to withdraw the notification of the production and use of PFOS for the acceptable purposes listed above and would like to request the deletion of those entries from the registry.
Norway Use for:

• Aviation hydraulic fluids 		28/10/2010 11/10/2017 Withdrawal notification