On March 24, 2015 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a press release summarizing main achievements and progress of the Roadmap on Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) to 2020. The SVHC Roadmap is an EU-wide commitment for having all relevant currently known SVHCs included in the REACH Candidate List by 2020. According to the first annual report on SVHC Roadmap implementation, many efforts have so far been concentrated on substances that are already known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction (CMRs). A total of 145 CRMs have been included in the Candidate List, out of which 29 are also included in the Authorization List (Annex XIV of REACH). ECHA and EU Member States also work to identify new CMRs. Work on substances with persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties (PBTs) is also in progress. However, ECHA stresses that for many chemicals more information, thus potentially further testing, is needed before conclusions can be drawn on whether they are PBTs or not. Work on identifying endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has also started. Overall, 20 substances with PBT or very persistent and very bioaccumulative properties (vPvBs) have been included in the Candidate List and two of them are also in the Authorization List. Further five substances have been included in the Candidate List due to their endocrine disrupting properties.

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ECHA (March 24, 2015). “ECHA focuses on substances that matter most.

ECHA (March 23, 2015). “SVHC Roadmap to 2020 Annual report.” (pdf)

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