On October 21, 2026, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) released the draft evaluation statement on PFAS Introduction and Use in Australia (EVA00204) and opened it for public comment, with feedback due by December 2, 2026 (local time). Those with comments on the draft evaluation statement may submit them via the AICIS website before December 2, 2026.
This evaluation systematically mapped out the introduction into Australia (including importation or manufacture), end uses, and volumes of all 522 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) listed on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC) between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2025. The results show that a total of 55 introduction reports involved personal care products (cosmetics) end uses, covering 14 PFAS, and relevant cosmetics and ingredient enterprises should pay attention.
Basic Information of the Evaluation
PFAS are a class of fluorinated substances containing at least one fully fluorinated methyl (–CF3) or methylene (–CF2–) carbon atom (as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)). As the carbon-fluorine bond is extremely stable and PFAS can persist in the environment for long periods, they are often referred to as “forever chemicals”, and global regulatory attention to them continues to rise. At present, a total of 522 chemicals on the AIIC meet the PFAS definition, and all of them are covered by this evaluation.
Main Findings
During the reporting period, no manufacture of PFAS in Australia was reported, and all introductions were by importation. Of the 522 listed PFAS, 27% (139) were reported to have been introduced during the reporting period, while 73% (383) had no introduction reports.
Of the 139 introduced PFAS, 48 were used exclusively for research and development (R&D), and the remaining 91 had industrial and/or public (consumer) end uses. A total of 989 introduction reports were received during the reporting period, of which 28% (280) were for R&D only, 39% (390) were for industry-only end uses, and 33% (319) were for products expected to be sold to the public.
The 14 PFAS Involving Personal Care Products End Uses
The introduction reports involving personal care products end uses totaled 55, covering 14 PFAS, all of which were reported as public end uses.
All these 14 PFAS have been recorded as cosmetic ingredients used internationally in international cosmetics databases such as the EU CosIng, the OECD, and the US Personal Care Products Council (PCPC).
The highest numbers of introduction reports were for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, CAS No. 9002-84-0, 16 reports) and two hydrofluoroether specialised fluorinated solvents that are commonly used together (CAS No. 163702-08-7, 12 reports; CAS No. 163702-07-6, 9 reports); the remaining 11 PFAS each had no more than 3 reports.
The specific list is shown in the table below:
| CAS No. | Chemical name | Number of introduction reports |
| 9002-84-0 | Ethene, tetrafluoro-, homopolymer (PTFE) | 16 |
| 163702-08-7 | Propane, 2-(difluoromethoxymethyl)-1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoro- | 12 |
| 163702-07-6 | 1-methoxy 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane | 9 |
| 355-42-0 | Hexane, tetradecafluoro- | 3 |
| 51851-37-7 | Silane, triethoxy(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)- | 3 |
| 9011-17-0 | 1-Propene, 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro-, polymer with 1,1-difluoroethene | 2 |
| 29118-24-9 | 1-Propene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-, (1E)- | 2 |
| 69991-67-9 | 1-Propene, 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro-, oxidized, polymerized | 2 |
| 306-91-2 | Phenanthrene, tetracosafluorotetradecahydro- | 1 |
| 355-93-1 | 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl ester | 1 |
| 460-73-1 | 1,1,1,3,3-Pentafluoropropane | 1 |
| 65530-64-5 | Ethanol, 2,2'-iminobis-, compd. with α,α'-[phosphinobis(oxy-2,1-ethanediyl)]bis[ω-fluoropoly(difluoromethylene)] (1:1) | 1 |
| 65530-63-4 | Ethanol, 2,2'-iminobis-, compd. with α-fluoro-ω-[2-(phosphonooxy)ethyl]poly(difluoromethylene) (2:1) | 1 |
| 102687-65-0 | 1-Propene, 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-, (1E)- | 1 |
In terms of introduction volumes, 52 of the 55 introduction reports were for individual volumes below 100 kg over the two-year reporting period; the only higher-volume introductions were PTFE and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (CAS No. 29118-24-9, reported to function as a propellant in cosmetics according to the EU cosmetics database).
AICIS did not require the reporting of specific product types; however, voluntary information submitted by enterprises indicates that the relevant PFAS were contained in skincare products, make-up products, dental floss, skin peels and sheet masks, and that some cosmetic formulations containing PFAS have been discontinued.
Two of these chemicals CAS No. 65530-63-4 and CAS No. 65530-64-5 have been identified as potential precursors to long-chain PFCAs. These chemicals are polymers and the amount of components that are long-chain PFAS varies.
Next Steps
According to the draft, AICIS intends to determine the priorities of future PFAS evaluation and risk management based on the information collected this time, and plans to carry out the following work:
(1) Prioritising the evaluation of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA): TFA is a common degradant of many other PFAS (including the substances reported with high introduction volumes this time). There were 18 introduction reports for TFA during the reporting period, of which 16 were for R&D end use only.
(2) Adding notification requirements for 431 PFAS not imported or used solely for R&D: For 383 listed PFAS with no import reports and 48 listed PFAS imported only for R&D within the reporting period, the AICIS Executive Director proposes to vary the Inventory listing terms under section 86 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 to add or revise information provision requirements. This ensures all future imports other than for R&D (including cosmetic uses) must be notified to AICIS, enabling further assessment of their risks to human health and the environment and implementation of corresponding management measures (excluding certain PFAS covered by the Rotterdam Convention).
(3) Determining the priorities of future evaluations: Of the 91 PFAS with industrial and/or public end uses, 66 have previously been assessed by AICIS or its predecessor, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS); AICIS will consider whether further risk assessment is needed in light of new information, and the remaining 25 previously unassessed PFAS will be placed in the priority sequence for evaluation.
CIRS Reminder
Although this evaluation did not draw conclusions on the hazards and risks of PFAS, its results will directly influence the priorities of Australia's future PFAS risk evaluations and regulatory actions. The report shows that cosmetics containing PFAS are still being continuously introduced into the Australian market (55 introduction reports, involving 14 substances, with product types covering skincare products, make-up products, dental floss, skin peels and sheet masks).
Moreover, in Australia, cosmetics and their ingredients for non-therapeutic use are regulated as industrial chemicals, so this evaluation directly covers cosmetic ingredients. Relevant cosmetics and ingredient enterprises are advised to focus on the following aspects:
(1) Checking product formulas and the ingredient supply chain: check the formulas of cosmetics supplied to Australia or produced in Australia against the evaluation statement. As PFAS may be brought into formulas as components of formulated ingredients or under trade names, it is recommended to verify the composition and CAS numbers with raw material suppliers one by one.
(2) Following the implementation of notification requirements: once the proposed information provision requirements for the 431 PFAS are officially implemented, introductions other than for R&D (including cosmetic uses) must be notified to AICIS in advance. Overseas cosmetics enterprises that merely export to Australia do not themselves bear AICIS notification obligations, but Australian introducers usually need enterprises to cooperate in providing supporting information such as composition, end uses, and volumes when fulfilling the notification. It is recommended to sort out the information exchange process with Australian customers in advance.
(3) Following global control trends and evaluating alternatives: PFAS have attracted global attention due to their environmental persistence, and the EU, some US states, and New Zealand have successively introduced PFAS restriction measures in the cosmetics field. Australia's systematic mapping of PFAS use in cosmetics this time may pave the way for subsequent regulatory actions targeting cosmetics; relevant enterprises are advised to evaluate alternatives in advance.
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