FKM / Viton rubber parts warning heads up.

[jbuckl]

Regarding FKM / Viton ‘rubber’ elastomer parts.

Understand supply restrictions are soon coming for this material.

The restrictions, surprisingly have not been adopted by the U.K. yet (uncharacteristically)

3m have already announced intention to cease manufacturing FKM / viton products.

The nasty chemical (pfas) is not within the product itself, but used in the manufacturing of it.

Will undoubtedly affect availability and prices soon.

Get stocked up!!!!

more details here:-

https://eriks.com/en/know-how-hub/blogs/pfas-ban-faq/

alternatives are being offered but there is no direct replacement. (Search Dana …. Who seem to be ready and prepared)


the impact of which is huge and far reaching in terms of re validation of systems relying on fkm / viton for sealing.

fkn / viton does not feature in oem stag seals, but has been used to improve durability on some fitments for sure.

eg heater valve , float bowl bung lip seals etc etc

more Pfas information here

https://www.victrex.com/en/pfas#:~:text=Victrex%20provides%20a%20PEEK%20polym er,surgical%20instrumentation%20to%20drug%20delive ry.

Relevancy:- ‘peek’ is the highest performance engineering plastic known…. also really expensive, really really.

Automotive avoid peek unless it’s essential, due to cost… but it is used for high temperature electrical e.g. alternator brush pack holders on high output units…. And undoubtedly similar items in E.V.s too.

[Philip Wardle]

International Conventions

Several international conventions have a bearing on PFAS and are implemented in the EU under the POPs Regulation ((EU) 2019/1021). Post Brexit in the UK this applies, as amended, as retained EU law. The UK POP Regulations provide that a person who produces, places on the market, or uses a designated POP such as perfluoro octane sulfonate (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in contravention of the manufacture/sale/use prohibition is guilty of a strict liability offence. Both corporates and responsible individuals (such as directors) can be liable.

EU REACH

The EU regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals protects human health and the environment. The EU has proposed an extensive change to the REACH Annex XVII, which could lead to a ban of over 10,000 PFAS. These restrictions, if applied, would be wide-reaching and have the potential to drive obsolescence in the automotive and other supply chains. When it was a member of the EU, not only did the UK adhere to REACH regulations, but it was also in fact a major contributor to their development.

Since Brexit, the UK has operated its own version of the REACH regime under oversight of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It applies to chemical substances that are manufactured in or imported in GB, whether on their own or in mixtures or in articles. Substances in scope must be registered with the HSE. For registration, manufacturers and importers of substances must demonstrate that they understand the hazards of the substances they are supplying to the GB market and that they can be used safely. This entails undertaking a risk assessment for PFAS that are identified as hazardous under the REACH regime.

Transitional provisions are in place which mean that full registration data is not yet required for those already fulfilling existing EU requirements.The authorisation provisions of UK REACH aim to ensure that substances of very high concern (SVHCs) are progressively replaced by less dangerous substances or technologies where feasible alternatives exist. The Candidate List is a list of SVHCs that may be prioritised for inclusion on the Authorisation List (Annex 14) of UK REACH. Once included in the Authorisation List, those substances cannot be used or placed on the market for a use after a specified date, known as the sunset date, unless the use has been authorised or is exempt from authorisation. Currently. there are just two UK REACH restrictions of PFAS in force within Britain – PFOA and its salts, subject to exemptions, and certain perfluorinated silane substances.

Other relevant UK legislation and regulation

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – require duty holders to take responsibility for assessing and controlling the hazards created by their work. This includes exposure to hazardous substances.

In particular, under COSHH for substances that are classified as carcinogens or mutagens, Regulation 7(7) imposes a duty on employers to reduce exposure to a level as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). Due to being classed as carcinogenic in the GB Mandatory Classification and Labelling (MCL) list, exposure to certain PFAS need to be kept to ALARP. These can generally be classified as PFOA, PFDA, PFNA and PFOS, along with certain salts.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) impose requirements concerning the safety of products intended for consumers or which are likely to be used by consumers. Producers are obliged to place only safe products on the market. “Product” is given a wide definition and includes PFAS-containing mixtures and articles that are available for use by consumers – even if not explicitly intended as consumer products.

There are further regulations concerning water, food, and the environment which have been updated in recent years. For example, in 2021 the Drinking Water Inspectorate updated its guidance certain PFAS concentrations in drinking water, requiring monitoring of levels and action if concentrations exceed particular thresholds. Subsequently, 45 additional PFAS have been added to the monitoring requirement. The DWI has a wholesomeness guideline value of 0.1 µg/l for any PFAS and a tiered system of escalating actions for companies to follow, including monitoring, risk assessment, consultation with health authorities, and remedial action. The Scottish regulations include a standard of 0.1 µg/l for 20 named PFAS.