Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 amended REACH Annex XVII, and its PFHxA restrictions took effect on October 10, 2026. The limits apply to textiles, leather, furs and hides used in clothing and related accessories, and to footwear for the general public, as well as to paper and cardboard food packaging, cosmetic products and consumer mixtures such as waterproofing sprays.
The restriction prohibits concentrations of 25 parts per billion or more of PFHxA and its salts, or 1,000 ppb or more of PFHxA-related substances, measured in homogeneous material. REACH defines PFHxA-related substances as those likely to break down into PFHxA based on molecular structure.
A further stage on October 10, 2027 extends the same concentration limits to all other textiles, leather, furs and hides beyond clothing, accessories and footwear for the general public. The restriction includes exclusions for certain personal protective equipment and construction textiles, and does not apply to products placed on the market before the application dates.
Because the regulation directly amended REACH, it is binding and directly applicable in all EU Member States, although enforcement and penalties remain national. The rule sets numerical limits but does not prescribe a specific testing method.
