The European Chemicals Agency and REACH 163

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) added two new substances to the SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) REACH list on June 15^th, 2015.

The REACH 163 SVHC Applications, Health Hazards, and Environmental Concerns

Below is a table detailing the full name and CAS number of the two substances added to the REACH 163 SVHC candidate list. In addition, it includes typical applications and potentially harmful effects on health and the environment.

Substance Name	CAS #	Where used	Health and Environmental Concerns
1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-C6-10-alkyl esters, or mixed decyl and hexyl and octyl diesters with ≥ 0.3% of dihexyl phthalate	This group includes the following CAS numbers: 68515-51-5 68648-93-1	Used as a plasticizer and a lubricant May be present in Adhesives Inks Coatings Cables Polymer foils PVC compounds Especially present in: Computers Electronic and electrical equipment Optical products Machinery Transport equipment	Reprotoxic (damages fertility and unborn child) Irritates skin, eyes, and respiratory tract
5-sec-butyl-2-(2,4-dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)-5-methyl-1,3-dioxane [1], 5-sec-butyl-2-(4,6-dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)-5-methyl-1,3-dioxane [2], covering any of the individual isomers of [1] and [2] or any combination thereof	This group includes the following CAS numbers: 117933-89-8 343934-04-3 343934-05-4 676367-02-5 676367-03-6 676367-04-7 676367-05-8 676367-06-9 676367-07-0 676367-08-1 676367-09-2 186309-28-4 Etc.	The substance CAS # 117933-89-8, also known under the trade name Karanal, is used as a fragrance agent in soap and detergent.	Very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) Causes acute and long-term damage to aquatic environments Impairs organs through repeated exposure

Notably, adding these two groups of chemicals brought the total number of REACH SVHC entries to 163.

The European Chemicals Agency periodically adds new substances and modifications to the REACH SVHC candidate list.

Enviropass keeps the current REACH SVHC and Annex XVII list. Furthermore, we update our Product Environmental Compliance EPEC Form accordingly.

What is the European Chemicals Agency?

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is an organization that implements the European Union’s (EU) chemicals legislation. It protects consumers, workers, and the environment by putting forth regulations and informing the public about the potential dangers of certain products and substances. Thus, its actions encourage the development of better alternatives for harmful chemicals.

Directives and Regulations Managed by the European Chemicals Agency

Apart from REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals), the ECHA is also in charge of the following regulations:

Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR)
Classification, Labelling, and Packaging of hazardous chemicals (CLP), particularly useful to Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Prior Informed Consent in the international trade of hazardous chemicals and pesticides (PIC)

These regulations protect human health and the environment while ensuring the free movement of chemicals in the European Union.

In addition to the regulations managed by ECHA, the following EU laws also help better protect the environment and public health:

RoHS – Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical & Electronic Equipment
POP – Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation
Batteries Directive
Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
WEEE – Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment Directive

Contact Enviropass for more details on REACH, SVHC, and SCIP notifications, as well as any questions on these directives.

L’Agence européenne des produits chimiques (AEPC) et REACH 163

Deux nouvelles substances REACH ont été ajoutées aujourd’hui à la liste REACH des SVHC (substances extrêmement préoccupantes). La liste des SVHC est continuellement révisée.

Veuillez contacter Enviropass pour de plus amples informations sur REACH, SVHC, et les notifications SCIP de vos produits.