CAS 7664-39-3 · REACH · European Union

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) under REACH

HF · 氢氟酸

Status: Registered. Hydrofluoric acid is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: Production via reaction of fluorspar (CaF2) with sulfuric acid batch 2 at ~250 C yielding HF + CaSO4 by-product (gypsum) + fluorochem chain feedstock for aluminium-smelter cryolite (Na3AlF6) + AlF3 + HCFC / HFC / HFO refrigerants + PTFE / PVDF / FEP fluoropolymers + uranium hexafluoride UF6 + semiconductor etching + oil-refining HF alkylation + pharmaceutical fluorinated APIs downstream chains + extreme hazard profile (Acute Tox. 1 oral / dermal / inhalation + Skin Corr. 1A; deep tissue penetration via Ca chelation makes HF burns more severe than other strong acids; calcium gluconate antidote required at use sites per harmonised CLP entry; verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying).** NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin HF currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing); however, **EU has historical AD measures on Chinese-origin aluminium fluoride (verify current regulation number, scope and status against EUR-Lex before relying on AlF3 chain duty status; do not rely on any specific Reg (EC) number without primary-source confirmation)**.

Hydrofluoric acid is fully REACH-registered with **extreme hazard profile** (Acute Tox. 1 oral / dermal / inhalation + Skin Corr. 1A; deep tissue penetration via Ca chelation; Ca-gluconate antidote at use sites). NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD on HF itself; **EU previously imposed AD on Chinese aluminium fluoride** (verify AlF3 status against EUR-Lex). **China dominates global HF / fluorochem production** (Yunnan + Guizhou + Inner Mongolia fluorspar clusters); Chinese fluorspar subject to seasonal export-quota + export-licensing.

Listing and threshold

Substance Hydrofluoric acid (HF) (CAS 7664-39-3), HF
Regime EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Jurisdiction European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

Classifications under this regime

  • Acute Tox. 1 (oral): H300 per harmonised CLP (verify against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying)
  • Acute Tox. 1 (dermal): H310
  • Acute Tox. 1 (inhalation): H330
  • Skin Corr. 1A: H314
  • GHS pictograms: GHS05 (corrosion), GHS06 (skull and crossbones)
  • IARC: Not classified
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID: anhydrous HF UN 1052 Class 8 PG I + subsidiary 6.1 (toxic); aqueous HF UN 1790 Class 8 PG I (>85%) or PG II (>60% to 85%) or PG III (≤60%)
  • **Calcium gluconate antidote required at use sites** for HF burn first-aid (per industry consensus; not regulatory mandate but standard practice)

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/authorisation-list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table)
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction on HF itself
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin HF currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing)
  • **EU has historical AD measures on Chinese-origin aluminium fluoride (verify current regulation number, scope and status against EUR-Lex before relying on AlF3 chain duty status; do not rely on any specific Reg (EC) number without primary-source confirmation)**
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope

Importer obligations

A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). **China dominates global HF / fluorochem production (verify percent-of-global share against ICIS or USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries before quoting), with production concentrated in Yunnan + Guizhou + Inner Mongolia fluorspar (CaF2) mining clusters**. Major Chinese HF producers: Sinochem Lantian, Juhua Group Quzhou, Dongyue Group Tantai Shandong, Sanmei Chemical, Yongtai Technology, Multifluoro Chemicals; verify each producer-site pair against the producer's public website before relying on a specific plant. **Chinese fluorspar exports subject to seasonal export-quota and periodic export-licensing controls** (verify current scope against MOFCOM export-licensing catalogue before invoicing).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on EU side
  • SDS (Acute Tox. 1 oral / dermal / inhalation + Skin Corr. 1A + Ca-gluconate-antidote handling notes)
  • Customs entry HS code 281111 (hydrofluoric acid)
  • ADR documentation for UN 1052 Class 8 PG I + 6.1 (anhydrous) or UN 1790 Class 8 PG I/II/III (aqueous)

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • **Production: fluorspar (CaF2) + H2SO4 batch 2 → HF + CaSO4 gypsum at ~250 C**
  • **Closes fluorine chain feedstock for aluminium-smelter cryolite (Na3AlF6) + AlF3 + HCFC / HFC / HFO refrigerants + PTFE / PVDF / FEP fluoropolymers + UF6 + semiconductor etching + oil-refining HF alkylation + pharmaceutical fluorinated APIs downstream**
  • Acute Tox. 1 oral / dermal / inhalation + Skin Corr. 1A + deep tissue penetration via Ca chelation
  • NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD on HF itself
  • **EU has historical AD measures on Chinese aluminium fluoride** (verify current regulation number, scope and status against EUR-Lex)
  • **China dominates global HF / fluorochem production (Yunnan + Guizhou + Inner Mongolia fluorspar mining clusters)**; Chinese fluorspar exports subject to seasonal export-quota + periodic export-licensing (verify against MOFCOM)
  • Major Chinese producers: Sinochem Lantian, Juhua Group Quzhou, Dongyue Group Tantai Shandong, Sanmei Chemical, Yongtai Technology, Multifluoro Chemicals
  • Calcium gluconate antidote required at use sites

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for hydrofluoric acid (hf), see the CAS 7664-39-3 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the hydrofluoric acid (hf) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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