Every third consumer product contains substances of very high concern (SVHCs). That’s the finding of a study undertaken as part of an EU project, LIFE AskREACH. The German Federal Environmental Agency also participated in the study and published the results at the beginning of September. Overall, some 106 leisure, garden,…
At the end of August, the European Commission published its Draft on the Restriction of Microplastics on its Web site. The regulation applies to the smallest particles of plastics that are often used in cleaners and personal care products because of their abrasive effects. With the regulation, the EU hopes…
In a letter to the EU, industry groups warn against hastily classifying lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and lithium chloride as reprotoxic. Yet that is precisely the recommendation of the ECHA Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of the EU Commission, whose expert groups are now studying the proposal. The authors of the…
When a company reduces the production volume of a chemical and updates the dossier accordingly, the ECHA will consider the reduction when evaluating the registration dossier. However, the company involved must present proof indicating the amount of the chemical that was imported or manufactured the previous year. The ECHA clarified…
The European Commission has started an initiative that should simplify access to chemicals data and opened a consultation with stakeholders to submit their reactions by August 16. In fact, access to chemicals data that comes from governmental agencies, private institutions, or scientific literature is difficult. Furthermore, the exchange and reuse…
School supplies have been shown to contain veritable cocktails of hazardous substances. That’s the finding of an expert’s report (in French) published at the start of July by the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES). For example, the scientists found PFAS, BPA, heavy metals, phthalates,…
The British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) plans to extend registration deadlines and has started a consultation that runs until September 1. The DEFRA is calling for the following new transition deadlines: October 2026 (previously October 28, 2021–October 28, 2023): For substances that were included on the…
Ever since substance groups instead of individual substances have been undergoing evaluation, the number of substances that require harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) has risen significantly. Just last year some 1,900 substances were involved – three times as many as in the year before. Of those, 1,650 are registered under…
In written comments sent to members of CARACAL (Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP), the [German] Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin: BAuA) noted disparities in the regulations that apply to substances of very high concern (SVHCs). When they are added to a mixture,…
The United Kingdom has published the consolidated versions of the REACH and CLP laws and of the UK Cosmetics Regulation. The versions now reflect all the changes made to the EU REACH, CLP, and Cosmetics regulations after Brexit. UK REACH has been in effect in Great Britain (England, Wales, and…
