LG Display要求供应商导入PFAS-free部件验证，计划2035年前全产品禁用PFAS

LG Display plans to phase out the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely known as environmental pollutants, by 2035. The company has begun managing PFAS in components supplied by partners in preparation for European Union (EU) regulations.
According to industry sources on Aug. 25, LG Display informed suppliers on July 13 that it would introduce new verification procedures for PFAS-free components. The company will begin with small-size products this year before expanding the phaseout to medium- and large-size products. It plans to prohibit PFAS use across all products by 2035.
PFAS are chemicals containing carbon-fluorine bonds. Their resistance to heat and chemicals, along with strong water- and stain-resistant properties, has led to widespread industrial use. In semiconductors, they are used in refrigerants, while in displays they improve the stain and abrasion resistance of films and coatings. They are also used in adhesives, raw materials for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials and production equipment components exposed to high temperatures and chemicals.
PFAS are chemically stable but do not readily break down in nature. They can remain in soil and water for long periods and accumulate in humans and ecosystems, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals."
The EU is seeking to regulate PFAS to reduce long-term environmental contamination and human exposure. Under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) framework, it is pursuing restrictions on the manufacture, use and placing on the market of PFAS as a group.
Existing rules have regulated individual substances such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The proposed regulation would have a broader impact because it seeks comprehensive restrictions on PFAS as a group rather than targeting specific substances. If implemented, components and finished products containing PFAS above permitted thresholds could face restrictions on production, use and sale in the EU.
LG Display is preparing for the possibility that the EU regulation will be finalized in the fourth quarter of this year and take effect as early as the third quarter of 2028. The final scope of the regulation, implementation date and transition periods for individual industries and applications have yet to be determined.
Ahead of the final regulation, LG Display has introduced a system to track PFAS at the component level. Suppliers providing PFAS-free components must submit fluorine (F) analysis reports when seeking approval for new components. Metal, ceramic and glass components are excluded.
If fluorine levels of 50 parts per million (ppm) or more are detected, additional checks are required to determine whether PFAS are present. If PFAS are identified, suppliers must provide the substance name, international chemical identification number, concentration and purpose of use. They must also submit information on alternative technologies, transition periods and improvement plans. Fluorine analysis reports must be renewed annually.
In practice, if PFAS in suppliers' OLED films, coatings or adhesives exceed applicable thresholds, alternative materials must be adopted and the components must undergo the approval process again. Supply and use are also restricted if UV-328, used as an ultraviolet stabilizer, exceeds 1 ppm or if PFOS in films, coatings and other materials exceeds 0.025 ppm. Components containing at least 50 ppm of fluorine require further analysis, and if PFAS are confirmed, suppliers must submit substance information and substitution plans.
"We established this PFAS phaseout roadmap as part of our mid- to long-term environmental management plan after comprehensively considering various factors, including technology development and the feasibility of applying alternatives to production processes," an LG Display official said.
Samsung Display has also formed a company-wide task force (TF) dedicated to PFAS and is studying whether alternative substances can be applied to products and production processes. The company operates a hazardous-substance management system spanning the entire process from the supply chain and product development through mass production.
Samsung Display evaluates suppliers' hazardous-substance management procedures through its Eco-Partner certification program. It has also enhanced internal management systems to comply with the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, REACH and the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) standards.
Samsung Display expects the industry will have difficulty securing complete PFAS substitutes in the short term. Together with the Korean government, it submitted an opinion to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) calling for a reasonable regulatory transition period. The company is identifying alternative materials and researching their application in production with the goal of replacing PFAS.
Korea's display industry agrees on the need for regulation but says a transition period of at least 12 years is necessary. Display films and coatings must prevent contamination and abrasion while maintaining light transmission and image quality, and there are currently no materials that can fully replace PFAS for those applications.
The Korea Display Industry Association submitted an opinion to ECHA in May calling for a transition period of at least 12 years for display coatings and films.
Korea's display industry is expected to transition components with available substitutes to PFAS-free alternatives first, while seeking regulatory transition periods for films and coatings that lack substitutes and developing replacement materials in parallel.