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N5October 2026
Final quarter before the EUDR, PFAS restriction reaching its final stage: how to get ahead on your FKM seals.
From the editor
Autumn 2026 opens the last quarter before the EUDR starts to apply, while the European restriction on PFAS enters its final assessment stage.
Two dossiers that hit sealing directly: traceability of natural rubber on one side, the future of fluoroelastomers on the other. This issue takes stock and sets out a method to prepare.
Key figures
From 30 December 2026, large and medium-sized companies must prove the “zero deforestation” origin of natural rubber placed on the European market (30 June 2027 for micro and small companies). In July, the Commission updated the product scope; newly added products will only be covered from 30 December 2027.
After the final opinion of the RAC committee (March) and the SEAC consultation closed on 25 May, ECHA aims to complete its scientific assessment by the end of 2026. Fluoropolymers — FKM, FFKM, PTFE — are not excluded, but would fall under a derogation framework with traceability and documentation requirements.
In China, natural rubber moved from around $2,456/t in April to $2,601/t in June (+5.9%), as drought delayed tapping in the main producing regions. Rising stocks did, however, slow the movement at the end of the quarter.
Tension on naphtha, linked to shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, sent polybutadiene up 36.2% in a month in Shanghai in the spring. The cost of synthetic elastomers remains closely indexed to energy.
01
Due diligence statements, composition sheets, REACH compliance: documentation is becoming a purchasing criterion in its own right.
02
HNBR, AEM and EPDM are being reassessed wherever fluid chemistry and temperature allow.
03
As the EUDR deadline approaches, buyers are building up stocks of critical natural rubber references.
04
Applications where fluoropolymers remain hard to replace — a central argument in derogation requests.
Technical tip of the month
Even with derogations, fluoroelastomers will be subject to more documentation. Better to prepare your reference portfolio now.
List every FKM, FFKM and PTFE reference, with application, fluid and service temperature.
Ask your suppliers for up-to-date composition and REACH compliance statements.
Identify the applications where a non-fluorinated alternative (HNBR, AEM, EPDM) is technically viable, and validate it through testing.
For critical uses with no alternative, plan stock and full traceability ahead of the derogations.
Did you know?
As heating season returns, think about storage: ISO 2230 recommends keeping elastomers away from light, ozone and heat sources, below 25 °C, in their original packaging and free of mechanical stress. A badly stored seal ages before it is even fitted.
Sources — ANRPC, European Commission (DG Environment, Access2Markets), ECHA, Procurement Resource, Mordor Intelligence, ITRE study.
Information provided for guidance only; it does not constitute legal or regulatory advice.
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