The EU banned metals for boilers: why Europeans will be left without hot water

The EU has excluded some metals used in the production of water heaters from the list of permitted materials. As a result, starting in 2027, Europeans may be left without hot water due to this regulation. According to 'Hlavkom', this was reported by the Financial Times.

European households may face the risk of being without hot water due to an unforeseen bureaucratic issue in the European Union. According to reports, the materials needed for enamel coating of water heating tanks (boilers) were accidentally excluded from the EU's list of permitted substances. This creates serious problems for manufacturers.

It is noted that hafnium and zirconium have been banned. In Brussels, they were deemed hazardous for household use – allegedly they spoil drinking water, and their use was banned.

Instead, steel and copper can be used, which are 4-5 times more expensive. This will certainly drive up the prices of water heaters and ultimately impact regular European consumers.

The exclusion of these materials, which are key for protecting tanks from corrosion, may lead to a halt in water heater production. Without proper enamel, tanks will not meet the necessary quality and safety standards, potentially causing shortages in the market and, consequently, potentially leaving Europeans without hot water supply.

The Financial Times described the incident as 'a bureaucratic failure of the EU'. Currently, it is expected that EU authorities will urgently respond to this issue to correct the legislative mistake and prevent a crisis in the home appliance market.

The European Union has excluded hafnium and zirconium from the list of permitted metals for the production of water heaters, which may lead to rising prices for these household devices and negatively affect their availability to consumers. Efforts to address this 'bureaucratic failure' are already actively being considered by EU authorities to prevent serious consequences for the market and consumers.