The ECHA Candidate List of “Substances of Very High Concern” Now Contains 219 Chemicals

2021-09-08

Substances Newly Added:

On 2021-07-08, ECHA (the European Chemical Agency) added 8 new hazardous substances to the Candidate List for SVHCs (Substances of Very High Concern), as detailed in Table 1.

Table 1

#

Substance Name

EC Number

CAS Number

Reason for Inclusion

Examples of Use(s)

1

2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde and its individual stereoisomers

-

-

Toxic for reproduction
(Article 57 c)

Cleaning agents, cosmetics, in scented articles, polishes and wax blends

2

Orthoboric acid, sodium salt

237-560-2

13840-56-7

Toxic for reproduction
(Article 57 c)

Not registered under REACH. May be used as solvent and corrosion inhibitor

3

2,2-bis(bromomethyl)propane1,3-diol (BMP);

 

2,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol, tribromo derivative/ 3-bromo-2,2-bis(bromomethyl)-1-propanol (TBNPA);

 

2,3-dibromo-1-propanol (2,3-DBPA)

221-967-7,

 

 

253-057-0,

 

 

 

 

202-480-9

3296-90-0,

 

 

36483-57-5/

1522-92-5,

 

 

 

96-13-9

Carcinogenic
(Article 57 a)

BMP: manufacture of polymer resins and in one component foam (OCPF) application

 

TBNPA: polymer production manufacture of plastics products, including compounding and conversion and as an intermediate

 

DBPA: registered as an intermediate

4

Glutaral

203-856-5

111-30-8

Respiratory sensitising properties (Article 57f - human health)

Biocides, leather tanning, x-ray film processing, cosmetics

5

Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP)
(UVCB substances consisting of more than or equal to 80% linear chloroalkanes with carbon chain lengths within the range from C14 to C17)

-

-

PBT (Article 57d)

 

vPvB (Article 57e)

Flame retardants, plasticising additives in plastics, sealants, rubber and textiles

6

Phenol, alkylation products (mainly in para position) with C12-rich branched alkyl chains from oligomerisation, covering any individual isomers and/ or combinations thereof (PDDP)

-

-

Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c)
 Endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57f - human health and environment)

Preparation of lubricant additive materials and of fuel system cleaners

7

1,4-dioxane

204-661-8

123-91-1

Carcinogenic (Article 57a)
Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to the environment (Article 57f -environment)
Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to human health (Article 57f - human health)

Solvent

8

4,4-(1-methylpropylidene)bisphenol

201-025-1

77-40-7

Endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57f - human health and environment)

Not registered under REACH. May be used in manufacture of phenolic and polycarbonate resin

 

Some of the newly added substances are used in consumer products such as cosmetics, scented articles, rubber and textiles.  Others are used as solvents, flame retardants or to manufacture plastics products.  They were added to the Candidate List because they are hazardous to human health as they are toxic for reproduction, carcinogenic, respiratory sensitizers or endocrine disruptors.

 

Significance:

The Candidate List of substances of very high concern now contains 219 chemicals that may have serious effects on human health or the environment. These substances may be placed on the Authorisation List in the future, which means that companies would need to apply for permission to continue using them.

 

REACH Regulation:

Under the REACH Regulation, companies may have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List.  Any supplier of articles containing a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1% weight by weight (w/w) has to give sufficient information to their customers and consumers to allow safe use.

 

Waste Framework Directive:

Under the Waste Framework Directive, suppliers of articles containing a substance of very high concern on the Candidate List need to provide information on their safe use to ECHA.  The new Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database will contain information on substances of concern in articles, as such or in complex objects (products).

 

This requirement has already started as from 2021-01-05 onwards, that suppliers of articles on the EU market containing Candidate List substances in a concentration above 0.1% weight by weight (w/w) must notify these articles to ECHA’s SCIP database.  This notified information will later be published on the Agency’s website.

 

Effective Date:

Importers and producers of articles containing a Candidate List substance have 6 months from the date of its inclusion in the list (2021-07-08) to notify ECHA.

 

References:

https://echa.europa.eu/-/candidate-list-updated-with-eight-hazardous-chemicals

https://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/candidate-list-table

https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach

https://echa.europa.eu/scip

 

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