ECHA adds 9 chemicals to REACH SVHC list

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ECHA adds 9 chemicals to REACH SVHC list

What does it mean for you?

On Jan. 17, 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) added nine additional substances to the candidate list under Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

The chemicals are placed on ECHA’s candidate list if they are:

• carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction (category 1A or 1B);
• are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic;
• are very persistent and very bioaccumulative; and/or
• are likely to have serious effects on human health and the environment.

Right to information

Companies that use items containing these substances in a concentration greater than 0.1% (weight by weight) are responsible for controlling the risks of these chemicals and must provide their consumers and customers with appropriate information about safe use. Consumers also have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Safety Data Sheet

Importers and producers of articles containing such substances must notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months of the date it was listed. Suppliers of Candidate List substances, supplied on their own or in mixtures, must provide a safety data sheet to their customers.

Use of added substances

The newly added substances are used, for example, in flame retardants, paints, coatings, printing inks and toners, as well as plasticizers in the manufacture of pulp and paper. The updated list now includes 223 entries.

The added substances in a row

The addition list includes the following nine substances:

• Substance name: 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol (bisphenol S; BPS)
  CAS number: 80-09-1
  Rationale: Toxic to reproduction (Article 57c); Endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57(f) – environment); Endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57(f) – human health).
  Used in: manufacture of pulp, textiles, leather or fur, paper products, etc.
• Substance name: Perfluorheptanoic acid and its salts
  CAS number: Group compounds so not applicable
  Reason for Proposal: Toxic to reproduction (Article 57c); PBT (Article 57d); vPvB (Article 57e); Equivalent level of concern with likely serious effects on human health (Article 57(f) – human health); Equivalent level of concern with likely serious effects on the environment (Article 57(f) – environment).
  Used in: stain-resistant fabrics, paper food packaging and carpets
• Substance Name: Melamine
  CAS number: 108-78-1
  Reason for Proposal: equivalent level of concern with likely serious effects on human health (Article 57(f) – human health); equivalent level of concern with likely serious effects on the environment (Article 57(f) – environment)
  Used in: spolymers and resins, coating products, adhesives and sealants, laboratory chemicals.
• Substance name: 1,1′-[ethane-1,2-diylbisoxy]bis[2,4,6-tribromobenzene].
  CAS number: 37853-59-1
  Reason for proposal: vPvB (Article 57e)
  Used in: used as a flame retardant for many thermoplastics.
• Substance name: 2,2′,6,6′-tetrabromo-4,4′-isopropylidene diphenol
  CAS number: 79-94-7
  Reason for Proposal: Carcinogenic (Article 57a)
  Used in: reactive flame retardant and as an additive flame retardant in the manufacture of polymer resins, in products such as epoxy-coated circuit boards, printed circuit boards and paper and textiles.
• Substance name: Barium diboron tetraoxide
  CAS number: 13701-59-2
  Reason for Proposal: Toxic to reproduction (Article 57c).
  Used in: paints and coatings.
• Substance name: bis(2-ethylhexyl)tetrabromophthalate covering any of its individual isomers and/or combinations thereof.
  CAS number: Group of compounds so not applicable
  Reason for proposal: vPvB (Article 57e)
  Used in: flame retardant, plasticizer for flexible polyvinyl chloride, wire and cable insulation, carpet backing, coated fabrics, etc.
• Substance name: Isobutyl 4-hydroxybenzoate
  CAS number: 4247-02-3
  Reason for proposal: endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57(f) – human health)
  Used in: coating products, fillers, putty, plasters, modeling clay, inks and toners, etc.
• Substance name: reaction mass of 2,2,3,3,5,5,6,6-octafluor-4-(1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropyl)morpholine and 2,2,3,3,5,5,6,6-octafluor-4-(heptafluoropropyl)morpholine
  CAS number: Group of compounds so not applicable
  Reason for proposal: vPvB (Article 57e)
  Used in: in formulating or repackaging at industrial sites and in manufacturing, etc.

As a whole, the addition of these nine chemicals to the REACH SVHC list is a positive step toward improving the safety of everyday products containing chemicals. These changes require companies to be aware of the regulations and take the necessary steps to comply.

Chemeter

With Chemeter from Siam, your company can easily comply with REACH regulations. With SdS Area from Siam, you can manage the documentation surrounding your safety data sheets in a simple, effective and organized way.

Want to know more? Then contact Paul Robben for a free, no-obligation demo of our software. E-mail: paul.robben@siam-it.com. Telephone: +31 (0) 6 3891 5277.

Source: ECHA
Also Read: European PFAS ban moves closer

Reservation
This information has been compiled with the greatest possible care, in some cases from different information sources. (Interpretation) errors are not excluded. No legal obligation can therefore be derived from this text. Everyone dealing with this subject has the responsibility to delve into the matter!