Since this is a translation of an overseas article, there may be some inaccuracies.
https://www.avpasion.com/union-europea-prohibir-televisor-oled-2028-corea/
The European Union is set to ban key components of OLED televisions from 2028, issuing a red alert to South Korea.
The European Union has once again targeted major television manufacturers.
The European Union's announcement that it will ban key components needed for OLED television manufacturing has once again thrust the bloc into the spotlight. In South Korea, this announcement came as a surprise to major manufacturers LG and Samsung, who have quickly requested a 12-year grace period to adapt their factories to meet the EU's standards. More on this later.
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/chemicals/pfas-pollution_en
As we will see later, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the EU body responsible for managing this proposal, has officially announced that from 2028, all OLED displays, including televisions, must be manufactured without per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). So, what exactly are these PFAS substances?
The Controversial Role of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
We have already seen that the European Union is no stranger to banning things like excessive power consumption, batteries, and cadmium. Now it's PFAS. These substances are known as "forever chemicals" due to their persistence in the environment, and the EU has decided to regulate them very strictly from 2028 onwards. Why? For public health and environmental sustainability.
The proposal by the ECHA, the relevant EU body, has come as a shock and concern to South Korea's OLED industry. This is because PFAS substances are currently indispensable components in the OLED display manufacturing supply chain. Finding alternative formulas and adapting factories will take more than 10 years. In fact, Korean companies have requested a 12-year extension from the EU.
In reality, PFAS substances play a crucial role in today's OLED display manufacturing. For example, they are used as part of the etching gas required for controlling each pixel's thin-film transistor (TFT). Secondly, and even more worrisomely, these chemicals are used in the critical layer that determines the panel's luminance efficiency and lifespan, due to their role in the photosensitive material composition and resistance to external degradation.
An Impossible Ban: South Korea Seeks Help and a 12-Year Grace Period to Avoid the End of OLED
Banning these substances outright without alternatives is far more dangerous than it appears. If the EU's stance remains inflexible, exports and sales of these televisions within European territory could be halted. This applies not only to televisions but also to other devices such as smartphones and monitors.
South Korea's response has been immediate. In fact, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea has formally submitted an exemption application to the ECHA. Both LG and Samsung argue that they need a minimum of 12 years of additional time to research, test, and certify reliable alternatives that do not compromise the performance, brightness, and lifespan of OLED televisions and devices. Otherwise, there will be a shortage of this technology in Europe.
The door is now wide open for Chinese manufacturers. This conflict could give brands like TCL, which have been developing inkjet printing technology for years, a competitive advantage. This system is essentially monopolized by this brand and puts LG and Samsung, South Korea's competitors, far behind.
▶ Original source: https://www.avpasion.com/union-europea-prohibir-televisor-oled-2028-corea/
