FEAD, the European Waste Management Association, will be holding an in-person conference in Rimini, Italy, on Wednesday 8 November 2023 from 16:30 to 18:30 CET. The event will focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the waste sector.

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) presented a report on the presence of PFAS in waste streams in April. This report found that the chemical should be massively restricted, even though it is already largely regulated. This restriction could have a major impact on the waste sector.

In order to give Member States a clearer view of the situation, FEAD, in collaboration with the University of Padova, is conducting a systematic critical review of the scientific literature to collect PFAS concentration ranges in waste items in the relevant four waste categories:

1. plastic waste
2. paper and cardboard waste
3. textile and leather waste, and
4. metal waste.

This conference will set out the results of the first part of this study. It will start with two 20-minute presentations: one on the report by ECHA and the second on the findings of the critical review. A panel discussion with high-level experts on different aspects of this field will follow. A Q&A session with the public will close the event.

For further information, please contact FEAD.