Additions to the Candidate List
Eight new materials have been added to the REACH Regulation Candidate List due to their hazardous properties, so that the list now includes 219 substances. The newly added substances are used for a wide variety of purposes, e.g. as solvents or flame retardants, while others are used to manufacture plastics and certain consumer goods, such as cosmetics, rubber and textiles.
The following substances were added:
- 2-(4‑tert-butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde and its individual stereoisomers;
- orthoboric acid, sodium salt;
- 2,2‑bis(bromomethyl)propane1,3‑diol (BMP), 2,2‑dimethylpropan-1-ol, tribromo derivative/3‑bromo‑2,2‑bis(bromomethyl)-1-propanol (TBNPA); and 2,3‑dibromo-1-propanol (2,3‑DBPA);
- Glutaral;
- 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);
- phenol, alkylation products (mainly in para position) with C12-rich branched alkyl chains from oligomerization, covering any individual isomers and/or combinations thereof (PDDP);
- 1,4‑dioxane;
- 4,4′-(1‑methylpropylidene)bisphenol.
The addition of these substances to the REACH Candidate List will create extensive notification and communication requirements for affected market operators, some of which will carry penalties, vis-à-vis customers in the supply chain, consumers and the ECHA.
Updated information requirements for registration of chemicals
In Regulation (EU) 2021/979 (PDF), the European Commission revised certain information requirements for the registration of chemicals within the scope of the REACH Regulation. Its goal in making these adjustments was to make the ECHA’s evaluation process more transparent. The changes include both general and substance-specific rules for studies and exposure-based testing, as well as additional requirements for health and environmental testing. The Regulation took effect on 8 July and will become binding and directly applicable in all member states as of 8 January 2022. Affected companies should therefore prepare themselves for the new requirements in a timely manner.
Consultation process for the restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
PFAS are persistent substances, some of which have been shown to have toxic and bioaccumulative properties. As stated in their formal declaration of intent, some national authorities (including the one from Germany) have submitted a restriction proposal to the ECHA for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The second stakeholder consultation phase is now ongoing, in the course of which affected companies and associations, as well as manufacturers of alternative substances, will be called upon to comment and provide additional information about the proposal. They should take advantage of this opportunity, as exemptions for certain uses of PFAS will only be taken into consideration if they are formally proposed in the course of the consultation process. Interested parties can take part in the consultation through 19 September 2021 via this link.
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