Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1543584
24 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2026 the end of March, and a consultation window on the SEAC draft opinion will be open for two months. Please consult our blog here, and the information in this article on how to prepare for the consultation. Our new PFAS position paper, based on Q3–Q4 2025 industry-wide research, identifies where alter- natives are available today and where more time is needed to phase out PFAS. It calls for a balanced, risk-based approach, rather than a hazard-based one, to regulating PFAS in electronics in Europe and around the globe. It safeguards planetary health while preserving the reliability and performance that modern electronics demand on the path to an effective digital and green transition. Why Use PFAS in Electronics? PFAS use is expensive. If PFAS chemicals are used in electronics, they're there for a good reason. PFAS are durable, chemically inert, and mechanically strong in harsh conditions. This unique combination of properties makes them a critical material across many sectors, with broad benefits for society. PFAS are not easily replaceable without a loss in essential properties for the intended functions of, for example, airplanes. For the past 30 years, researchers in the electronics industry have tried, and largely failed, to identify alternatives that are technically at least as good as currently used PFAS. Very few alternatives exist, for limited uses, and (if at all), they are technically inferior. Even when alter- natives exist, their use cannot be extrapolated to an entire product line. The use of fluoropolymers in electronics Fluoropolymers, in particular, are a class of advanced materials characterized by their unique properties, including chemical resistance, thermal stability, dielectric insulation, and non-stick characteristics. The main electronics uses include, but aren't limited to, the following fluoropolymers: PTFE, FEP, PVDF, PVDF-HFD, PFPE, FKM, and CTFE-VDF. Unlike in textiles or consumer goods, where PFAS are often applied broadly, their use in electronics is narrow, controlled, and highly engineered. Fluoropolymers have unique properties Their unique properties and applications make them irreplaceable in many high-performance envi- ronments, such as aerospace, automotive, and medical technology, due to their unmatched dura- bility, chemical resistance, and stability in extreme environments. Fluoropolymers have a unique hazard profile They are chemically inert, have significantly lower toxicity, reduced bioavailability, and limited envi- ronmental stability, distinguishing them from other PFAS types. Their use in electronics is generally highly contained, and their hazard potential is low. Thus, they are safe to use in highly specialized applications when handled responsibly. Other PFAS types in electronics and the chal- lenge of regulatory restrictions More obscure PFAS types can also be present in electronics. These are harder to detect due to, for example, operational challenges and insuffi- ciently developed analytical detection methods. They are harder to regulate. Specific applications, such as data storage products, have unique uses of various polymeric and non-polymeric PFAS with no feasible alternatives, which are required to meet the unique operational requirements inside the sealed product environment. Some critical, relatively unique PFAS uses do not appear to be included in the derogations under consideration in the current version of the ECHA Draft Background Document. This is an example of the challenging task that restriction develop- ers have with electronics, where many critical uses are not widely known and where rulemaking risks leaving out derogations for more obscure uses, due to the difficulty of gathering all possible uses in electronics.