United Kingdom: UK REACH Adds Nine More SVHC Substances to the Candidate List

Additional Substances Added to the UK Candidate List 

On October 19, 2026, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) added nine additional substances and substance groups to the UK REACH Candidate List. The decision followed a six-week consultation period that concluded in August. 
This latest update represents the second major expansion of the Candidate List in 2026. In June, 15 additional substances were added. Through these updates, the UK government continues its efforts to keep national chemicals regulation closely aligned with developments under EU REACH.

Which Substances Are Affected? 

The following substances and substance groups have been newly included in the UK Candidate List: 

• 1,1′-[ethane-1,2-diylbisoxy]bis[2,4,6-tribromobenzene] (BTBPE) 
• Reaction mass of triphenylthiophosphate and tertiary butylated phenyl derivatives
• Oligomerization and alkylation reaction products of 2-phenylpropene and phenol (OAPP) 
• 2-tert-butyl-6-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methylphenol (bumetrizole)
• Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)
• Bis(4-chlorophenyl)sulphone (BCPS)
• 4,4′-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts
• Perfluoroheptanoic acid and its salts 
• O,O,O-triphenyl phosphorothioate (TPPT)

These substances have been identified due to various properties of concern, including persistence and bioaccumulation (vPvB) as well as reproductive toxicity. 

Alignment with the EU Remains a Key Objective

With the addition of these nine entries, the UK REACH Candidate List now contains 233 substances. By comparison, the EU Candidate List currently includes 253 entries. 
Earlier in 2026, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that it would review all 44 substances that have been added to the EU SVHC Candidate List since Brexit. 
Defra and the HSE aim to complete the assessment of these 44 substances by April 2027. As a result, additional updates to the UK Candidate List may follow in the coming months. Companies operating in the UK market should therefore continue to monitor developments under UK REACH and evaluate any potential implications for their products at an early stage. 

Implications for Companies 

Inclusion on the Candidate List triggers additional compliance obligations. Among other requirements, suppliers must provide specific information regarding these substances when they are present in articles and mixtures. 
Companies that manufacture, use, or distribute products containing any of these substances should assess whether their documentation and information obligations may be affected. Safety Data Sheets must be updated without delay to ensure the flow of information within the supply chain.

We support you in assessing your products and with all questions to the Candidate List and Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). 

Contact us at  sales@kft.de or use our contact form.

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