ECHA Adds One SVHC to the Candidate List

SafeGuardSAutomotive, Electrical & Electronics, Hardgoods, Personal and Protective Equipment, Softlines, Toys and Juvenile ProductsJun 30, 2024

SG 101/24

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added one substance on the Candidate List. There are legal obligations placed on industry once a substance has been placed on this list.

On June 27, 2024, the ECHA announced the addition of one substance to the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC). This inclusion expands the number of entries on the Candidate List from 240 to 241.

Highlights of the SVHC added to the Candidate List are summarized in table 1.

European Chemicals Agency, ECHA/NR/24/19, June 27, 2024

No	Substance [EC/CAS]	Examples of application
1	Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide (201-279-3/80-43-3)¹	Processing aid and cross-linker in polymers, e.g. plastic and rubber products This substance can be found in products with material based on wood (e.g. floors, furniture, toys), stone, plaster, cement, glass or ceramic (e.g. dishes, pots/pans, food storage containers, construction and isolation material) and plastic (e.g. food packaging and storage, toys, mobile phones)

Table 1

¹Toxic for reproduction

What are the consequences of a substance being added to the Candidate List?

Once a substance is placed on the Candidate List, companies have legal obligations when this substance is included either on its own, in mixtures or in articles.

Duty to communicate on substances in articles

EU or EEA suppliers of an article containing a Candidate List SVHC in a concentration of more than 0.1% are required to provide information to the recipient of the article to allow the safe use of the article. This equivalent information should be supplied to consumers within 45 days when requested.

Duty to notify ECHA under REACH

EU and EEA producers and importers of an article are obliged to notify the ECHA if their article contains a substance on the Candidate List. This applies if the substance meets two conditions:

The substance is more than 0.1% in those articles
The substance is present in those articles in quantities totalling more than one tonne per producer or importer per year

The notification must be submitted within six months from the date the substance is included on the list.

Safety data sheets (SDS) for substances on their own and in mixtures

Suppliers of substances on the Candidate List, either on their own or in mixtures, are obliged to provide their customers with an up-to-date safety data sheet (SDS).

Duty to notify ECHA under the Waste Framework Directive

Since January 2021, EU suppliers of articles containing more than 0.1% of an SVHC on the Candidate List are obliged to notify the ECHA (Waste Framework Directive, WFD). This notification is published on the ECHA’s substances of concern in products (SCIP) database.

Through a global network of laboratories and highly trained specialists, SGS offers a comprehensive suite of services to help our customers comply with their obligations under REACH, from initial REACH registration to consulting, testing, auditing and verification services to support ongoing compliance. Contact us or visit our website to find out more. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

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