Information required on introduction of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australia

The Executive Director of the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) has initiated an evaluation on the introduction and use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australia under section 74 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 (IC Act).

The evaluation will review the 522 PFAS listed on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (the listed PFAS) and is now recorded on AICIS’s Rolling Action Plan. The evaluation will confirm whether the listed PFAS have been introduced in Australia and if so:

• in what volumes they have been introduced, and
• what they are being used for

to consider which chemicals should be the subject of further evaluation.

This statement is a requirement under s76(5) of the IC Act prior to sending notices to registrants (see below).

What information will be required?

The AICIS Executive Director will next week send all introducers who were registered between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025 (inclusive), a notice via email, requiring them under section 76 of the IC Act to provide the Executive Director with information on the introduction and use of listed PFAS chemicals in Australia covering the 2023–24 and 2024–25 registration years.

The information required to be provided by each registrant will be:

• whether the registrant has introduced into Australia, through import or manufacture, any of the listed PFAS
• in respect of any listed PFAS the registrant has introduced, the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number and name of the chemical, the mode of introduction (i.e. import and/or manufacture), the total volume introduced, and the end use, and
• in respect of any information that the registrant is not able to provide, the reason(s) why they are not able to provide that information.
   

Other information will be requested

Registrants will also be asked to voluntarily supply other information that may be relevant to the Executive Director’s evaluation (such as information for earlier registration years), under section 75 of the IC Act.

Who needs to provide PFAS information?

All AICIS introducers registered between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025 (inclusive), will receive a written notice from the Executive Director via email. They will need to review the list of 522 PFAS listed on the Inventory to determine whether they have or have not introduced any of the listed PFAS and inform AICIS of that matter. If registrants have introduced any of the listed PFAS, then they must provide the information required in respect of each chemical introduced (as outlined above).

When must the information be submitted?

The required PFAS information must be submitted within 40 working days of the date of the notice.

Need help?

The notice will provide each registrant with a unique web form that they can use to provide the required information and any other relevant information.

If registrants have any questions or encounter any issues with submitting a response, please fill out our PFAS enquiry form.