REACH SVHC List Updated – Now 191 Substances

On the 27 June 2018, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published the new updated REACH Candidate List with 10 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs).

Substances on REACH SVHC list are:

1. substances meeting the criteria for classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR) category 1 or 2;
2. persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) substances; or
3. very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB) substances;
4. any substances with evidence of similar concern, such as endocrine disruptors.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added 10 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the Candidate List, taking the total number of substances to 191.

The substances included in the Candidate List for authorization are:

1. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (CAS no. 556-67-2)
2. Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) (CAS no. 541-02-6)
3. Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) (CAS no. 540-97-6)
4. Lead (CAS no. 7439-92-1)
5. Disodium octaborate (CAS no. 12008-41-2)
6. Benzo[ghi]perylene (CAS no. 191-24-2)
7. Terphenyl hydrogenated (CAS no. 61788-32-7)
8. Ethylenediamine (EDA) (CAS no. 107-15-3)
9. Benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2 anhydride (trimellitic anhydride) (TMA) (CAS no. 552-30-7)
10. Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) (CAS no. 84-61-7)

These substances are found in a variety of products from personal care, adhesives, sealants, plastics, and PVC. This list of the new SVHC requires companies to verify and identify where the substance is used, in both semi-finished and finished products. If the amount exceeds the defined threshold limits, companies must appropriately notify ECHA, and their customers too.

Companies manufacturing or selling products in the European Union (EU) will now need to identify the presence of these SVHCs in articles above the threshold of 0.1 percent w/w, and communicate their presence in articles within six months of June 27, 2018, to downstream users.

It is important to keep a constant check on this SVHC list since it is a legal obligation for all the manufacturers. If manufacturer’s article contains any substance included in the SVHC list in the concentration above 0.1% (w/w), they need to fulfill the following obligations:

1. Duty to communication information on SVHCs – REACH article 33;
2. Notification of SVHC in articles to ECHA- REACH article 7(2);

Not only articles, but companies also need to check their products contain any substances on REACH restricted substance list.

Do you want to know more on best compliance practices? Connect to our compliance specialists at [email protected].