About This Webinar
This PERFORCE3 webinar focused on the exposure assessment of persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) substances, with particular emphasis on PFAS compounds. The session explored methodologies for evaluating human and environmental exposure to PMT/vPvM substances.
What Are PMT/vPvM Substances?
PMT and vPvM are regulatory classifications under EU REACH for substances that pose specific environmental concerns:
PMT - Persistent, Mobile, Toxic
Substances that don't break down easily, move readily through the environment (especially in water), and are toxic to humans or the environment.
vPvM - Very Persistent, Very Mobile
Substances with extremely high persistence and mobility, which may pose risks even at low concentrations due to their potential for widespread distribution and accumulation.
Many PFAS compounds meet PMT or vPvM criteria, making them subject to enhanced regulatory scrutiny under EU chemicals policy.
Topics Covered
- Introduction to PMT/vPvM criteria under REACH
- Application of PMT assessment to PFAS compounds
- Environmental mobility and persistence data requirements
- Exposure modeling approaches for mobile substances
- Drinking water as a key exposure pathway
- Biomonitoring data interpretation
- Implications for PFAS regulation
Key Takeaways
Environmental Mobility
PFAS compounds exhibit high mobility in aquatic systems, making traditional exposure assessment approaches less reliable. The webinar discussed how PMT criteria capture risks that conventional PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic) criteria may miss.
Drinking Water Exposure
Given the mobility of PFAS, drinking water represents a major exposure pathway for human populations. Assessment approaches must account for the potential for widespread water resource contamination.
Regulatory Implications
PMT/vPvM identification under REACH can trigger regulatory consequences similar to substances of very high concern (SVHCs), supporting the case for broad PFAS restrictions.