ECHA adds a new Substances of Very High Concern to the Candidate List

On 27 June 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)peroxide has been added to the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the ECHA Member State Committee (MSC) due to its hazardous properties. The Candidate List now contains 241 entries.

About bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)peroxide

Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)peroxide (EC No. 201-279-3) is known to be toxic for reproduction and is commonly used as a processing aid, including. as a flame retardant. More detailed information on the substance can be found in the Member State Support document here.

Suspension of Triphenyl Phosphate Classification

In addition to the update, ECHA has suspended the SVHC classification of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP; EC no. 2024-112-2), which was scheduled for the June MSC meeting. This suspension follows the emergence of significant new information shortly before the meeting that required further evaluation.

Understanding Substances of Very High Concern

Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) are substances that may cause serious and often irreversible effects on human health and the environment. A substance identified as an SVHC is placed on the Candidate List for possible inclusion in the Authorisation List. Some of the entries in the Candidate List are groups of chemicals, so the total number of chemicals concerned is higher. The Authorisation List contains 59 entries. If a substance is on the Authorisation List, its use is prohibited unless the European Commission grants an authorisation for continued use.

Legal obligations for Candidate List Substances under REACH

Under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation there are legal obligations for substances included in the Candidate List.

• Suppliers must inform their customers and consumers if their products contain more than 0.1 % (weight by weight) of a Candidate List substance.

• Consumers have the right to ask suppliers whether their products contain SVHCs.

• Suppliers of Candidate List substances, either on their own or in mixtures, must provide a safety data sheet (SDS)to their customers.

• Importers and manufacturers of articles containing a Candidate List substance must notify ECHA within six months of the substance being added to the list.

In addition, under the Waste Framework Directive, companies must notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain SVHCs in concentrations above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is then made publicly available in ECHA's Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database.

New Intentions to Identify Substances for the Candidate List

ECHA also announced on 27 June 2024, that 2 new intentions to identify SVHCs have been received. The two substances are tris(4-nonylphenyl, branched) phosphite (EC 701-028-2) and 6-[(C10-C13)-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl]hexanoic acid (EC 701-118-1). The registry of SVHC intentions until outcome can be found here.