Endocrine disruptors are more harmful to health around the world than previously thought, according to a report prepared jointly by the Endocrine Society and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) and published at the end of February. Studies indicate that such substances pose a health risk even at low doses….
The Environment Committee of the EU Parliament has cleared the way for the updated Detergents Regulation after some parts of the EU Commission’s proposal were amended. The improvements primarily serve to protect the environment, consumers, water, and bodies of water. The lowered threshold values for the total phosphorus content in…
The Lithuanian government approved the draft of a new chemicals law in mid-February. With this initiative, the country aims to harmonize its regulations on chemical substances and mixtures with the requirements of the applicable EU regulations (REACH, CLP, and POP). According to an advisor in the Lithuanian ministry, the new…
The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament approved the EU Commission’s proposal for the Toy Safety Regulation in mid-February. It will replace Directive 2009/48/EC. The regulation will be passed by the new parliament after the elections in June of this year. Manufacturers and…
Scientists and authorities have put melamine in the crosshairs because of its harmful properties. The French Agency for Food, Environment, and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) has classified the substance as toxic to reproduction (report in French). This finding is controversial because products made from melamine also come into contact…
Since the end of January 2024, interested parties can use the ECHA CHEM database to view information on all REACH registrations. The ECHA has published a press release on the subject. The ECHA’s current substance database contains information on more than 360,000 chemicals. Companies submit substance data onto the platform…
On January 1, 2025, all notifications for hazardous mixtures regarding physical and health hazards that were created in a national format will become invalid. It is therefore important for importers, manufacturers, and distributors to review their product notifications as quickly as possible and update them if necessary. To do so,…
New information requirements for safety data sheets (SDS) and labeling will apply in Japan as of April 1 of this year. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare has published detailed information on this (in Japanese only). The legal basis is the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). The…
The ECHA has added five substances of very high concern to the REACH candidate list. In the future, these will be assessed by ECHA regarding potential inclusion in the list of substances subject to authorization (Annex XIV, REACH Regulation). The five substances are: 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol: It is toxic for reproduction and…
On December 22, EU member states adopted the new Ecodesign Regulation. In the future, only products that are recyclable and have properties such as durability and energy efficiency will be placed on the market. Among other things, the Regulation provides for the introduction of chemicals as a separate product category…