ECHA Launches Second Call for Evidence on Hexavalent Chromium Substances

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a call for evidence on the uses and alternatives for certain hexavalent chromium (CrVI) substances on 5 June 2024. The information will support ECHA’s preparation of an Annex XV Restriction Dossier on Cr(VI) substances, including those listed in REACH Annex XIV (excluding lead chromates) and barium chromate. The call for evidence will be open until 15 August 2024.

First Call for Evidence

To support the preparation of the restriction proposal, ECHA launched a first call for evidence from December 2023 to February 2024. While this first phase aimed to gather comprehensive data, some gaps remained, necessitating a second call for evidence. In addition, on 29 April 2024, the scope of the restriction proposal for chromium (VI) substances was extended by the European Commission to cover a wider range of Cr(VI) substances, further highlighting the need for additional data collection.

Second Call for Evidence

The second call for evidence consists of two separate surveys to collect detailed information for the Restriction Dossier.

Survey 2a focuses on the different uses of Cr(VI) substances, targeting companies in sectors such as transport, aerospace, defence and specialty surface treatment. This survey seeks input from companies that did not respond to the first call and from users of specific Cr(VI) substances, including barium chromate.

Survey 2b targets manufacturers, suppliers, importers, distributors and users of alternatives to Cr(VI) substances, as well as companies that have recently completed or are in the process of replacing Cr(VI) substances.

ECHA encourages participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including private companies, sector associations, scientific organizations, NGOs, and authorities from both EU/EEA and non-EU countries. Information can be submitted on a confidential basis.

For more details and to participate, visit the surveys here and here.