C8 DWR (banned in the EU)
Also known as: C8 finish, PFOA-based DWR, long-chain PFAS DWR
Water-repellent finish based on C8/PFOA chemistry that dominated until the early 2010s — banned in the EU under the POP regulation since 2020.
Description
C8 DWR describes water-repellent finishes for outdoor and rain wear based on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its precursors — the so-called long-chain fluorocarbons. Until the early 2010s C8 chemistry was standard on softshells, rain jackets and tent fabrics because of its very durable water, oil and dirt repellence.
The substance class was however classified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT/vPvB): on 10 May 2019 PFOA was added to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention and banned EU-wide as a POP with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/784 of 8 April 2020 (with very low residue limits of 25 µg/kg for PFOA and 1 mg/kg for PFOA-related substances). Already in 2017 PFOA and related substances had been restricted under REACH Annex XVII. For textiles this means classic C8 finishing can no longer be produced or imported in the EU. Today the standard is shorter-chain C6 DWR (subject to its own debate) and fluorine-free C0 finishes — the market is clearly moving to PFC-free alternatives.
- Legal basis: Regulation (EU) 2020/784 (POP), REACH Annex XVII
- Classification: PBT/vPvB, persistent organic pollutant (“forever chemical”)
- Alternatives: C6 DWR and fluorine-free C0 finish
- Gore-Tex switched to PFOA-free manufacturing in 2013
Properties
| Chemistry | Long-chain PFAS (PFOA and precursors) |
|---|---|
| EU status | POP ban since 8 Apr 2020 (Reg. (EU) 2020/784) |
| Alternatives | C6 DWR, fluorine-free C0 finish |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Perfluorooctanoic acid Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid
- EUR-Lex: Verordnung (EU) 2020/784 eur-lex.europa.eu https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32020R0784
