European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) details PFAS restriction proposal in webinar; consultation open until September 25, 2023
EU Court of Justice rules in favor of ECHA identifying BPA as SVHC
Trade body PlasticsEurope loses fourth legal case concerning regulations of bisphenol A (BPA); European Court of Justice supports ECHA’s classification of BPA as substance of high very high concern (SVHC)
Ways forward to improve polymer assessment and management
Critical review evaluates regulatory approaches of polymer assessment and management; identifies critical knowledge gaps by comparison with recent scientific findings; proposes policy options for safe and sustainable polymer use; suggest more transparency, standardized testing procedures, and improved understanding of environmental fate and hazards
Study suggests economic interests influence SVHC listing
Researchers analyze drivers influencing the regulation of substances of very high concern (SVHCs); find fact that substances neither produced nor imported in the European Economic Area to be most important factor for listing a substance as SVHC
Non-standard studies contribute to over half of REACH restrictions
Scientists assess studies used to restrict chemicals under REACH; report data from non-standard studies contribute to the majority of REACH restrictions; 30% of studies the European Chemicals Agency identifies as key to a restriction are not included in REACH registration database; recommend increasing transparency
EEB: At this pace, the EU will take centuries to regulate chemicals
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) analysis finds that it takes the EU two decades to regulate a chemical from start to finish; bottlenecks include industry submitting incomplete information, over-analysis by EU regulators, and the European Commission taking longer to decide about a Scientific Opinion than ECHA takes to draft it
Member States endorse a strong REACH revision
Ministers of environment from 8 EU Member States write open letter to EU Commission to uphold the original ambitions of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability during the REACH revision and elsewhere in EU policy; Commission should set date for when hazardous chemicals must be out of consumer products; regulations should include essential use concept, risk assessment of chemicals mixtures
Public consultation on REACH review
European Commission (EC) opens a public consultation period concerning the revision of REACH regulation; REACH is responsible for outlining chemical assessment procedures in the EU; possible updates include assessing chemical mixtures, simplifying safety data sheets, and incorporating essential-use concept; consultation period open until April 15, 2022
Chemical industry calls for collaboration to meet EU objectives
European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) publishes report investigating potential scope and impacts of new EU chemicals regulations; finds up to 12,000 substances may be affected by revisions, which are responsible for 28% of the industry’s turnover; adhesives and sealants sectors expected to be most affected
Five EU Member States register intention to restrict PFAS
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden jointly inform the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) of their intention to submit a REACH restriction dossier on PFAS in 2022; stakeholders can contribute information to inform the dossier’s development until September 19, 2021