News

Get to know the EU Chemicals Legislation Finder

EUCLEF will be launched on 11 March. It is a new online service from ECHA that places 40 pieces of EU chemicals legislation at your fingertips, enabling you to find out how your substances are regulated in the EU and what legal obligations you have.

Our webinar gives you a preview of how the finder works.

Watch now | Presentations

REACH

Five proposals to identify new substances of very high concern (SVHCs)

The substances and examples of their uses are:

1-vinylimidazole (EC 214-012-0, CAS 1072-63-5) - used in formulations and as a monomer in the production of polymers;
2-methylimidazole (EC 211-765-7, CAS 693-98-1) - used as a catalyst and in the production of coating products;
dibutylbis(pentane-2,4-dionato-O,O')tin (EC 245-152-0, CAS 22673-19-4) - used as a catalyst and as an additive in the production of plastics;
butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (EC 202-318-7, CAS 94-26-8) - used in cosmetics, personal care products and pharmaceuticals; and
resorcinol (EC 203-585-2, CAS 108-46-3) - used to manufacture rubber compounds, resins, coatings, adhesives and sealants, and cosmetics.

The deadline for comments is 17 April 2020.

Give comments

Assessing exposure to additives used in plastic materials

ECHA has published a Practical Guide for registrants on how to characterise the uses of additives for plastic materials, and how to start estimating the related exposure. The basic principles explained in the Practical Guide also apply to other material types, for example rubber or textiles.

Plastic additives initiative - Practical Guide

Committees’ opinion on application for authorisation available

The consolidated opinion of the Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-economic Analysis for use of sodium dichromate (EC 234-190-3, CAS 10588-01-9, 7789-12-0) by Società Chimica Bussi S.p.A. is available on our website.

Opinions

Waste

Support is here: get ready to report substances of concern in products

Our upcoming events will help you prepare for the new task of reporting substances of very high concern in products to the SCIP database. Watch our webinar live on our home page on 17 March 2020 – no need to register.

Sign up also for our free Safer Chemicals Conference in Helsinki, Finland on 2-3 June 2020 to get hands-on training, practical advice and one-to-one support from our experts.

If you miss these events, you can watch a recording afterwards.

Webinar | Safer Chemicals Conference | SCIP database

Occupational exposure limits

Call for evidence: occupational exposure limit for asbestos, and cadmium and its inorganic compounds

ECHA has launched calls for evidence on cadmium and its inorganic compounds and on asbestos following the Commission's request to review their existing limits. The aim is to get information on exposure, health effects, toxicology, epidemiology and modes of action. For cadmium and its inorganic compounds, information on uses is also requested, but any other relevant information is welcome, too. The information will help ECHA to draft the scientific reports related to exposure limits at the workplace.

The deadline for comments is 2 June 2020.

Give comments | ECHA OEL pages | Exposure to asbestos at work - EU-OSHA

Nanopinion

‘Nanoplastics’ – it’s a name game

Check the latest post by Claire Skentelbery from the Nanotechnology Industries Association on nanoplastics. "'Nanoplastics' is often used by public authorities and the media with a potentially negative impact on the perception of nanomaterials, which have little or no connection to the plastics being referenced".

'Nanoplastics' - it's a name game | More nanopinions | EUON website

ECHA

Update on coronavirus and ECHA’s meetings

For the time being, ECHA’s meetings with external participants continue as scheduled, unless otherwise notified. Participants from countries or areas that are most affected by coronavirus are requested to join remotely. The information will be updated as the situation evolves.

ECHA’s Board of Appeal has also, for the first time, remotely held a hearing in one of the appeal cases. All participants were connected by video conference to ensure equal treatment. This approach has been supported and welcomed by all the parties as a sensible response to exceptional circumstances.

More

Scientific committees in March – agendas available

The agendas of the upcoming meetings of the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) and the Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) are online. RAC meets from 9 to 13 March and from 17 to 20 March 2020; SEAC from 10 to 12 March and from 17 to 19 March 2020.

The BPC starts today (4-5 March 2020).

RAC agenda | SEAC agenda | BPC agenda