ECHA inspection: failures to communicate SVHCs in articles

European Chemicals Agency pilot enforcement project finds 12% of inspected articles contain substances of very high concern (SVHCs) with 88% of suppliers failing to sufficiently communicate to customers; calls for improved communication in the supply chain

UK rejects ban on SVHCs in food packaging

UK government rejects earlier recommendation from committee report to ban Substances of Very High Concern from food contact materials

ECHA recommends 18 SVHCs for authorization

European Chemicals Agency recommends 18 substances of very high concern for addition to the authorization list, includes six food contact chemicals

Information requirements for SCIP database

European Chemicals Agency sets information requirements for upcoming database on substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in products; requires name, concentration, location of SVHC in article; notification to be required from January 5, 2021

Four new SVHCs proposed

EU member states propose four new substances for inclusion on REACH Candidate list of substances of very high concern for Authorization; all substances relevant for food contact

U.K. committee report on toxic chemicals

Parliamentary committee report calls for greater transparency of chemicals used in food packaging, recommends U.K.-wide ban on SVHCs in food contact materials, proposes government strategy to reduce PFAS exposure

Communicating and reducing SVHC use

EU project survey finds half of companies do not have ready information to respond to consumer requests about substances of very high concern (SVHCs); Swedish Chemicals Agency develops app to improve SVHC communication; Danish report finds current legislation has reduced SVHC use in Nordic countries

Over 200 substances now on SVHC list

European Chemicals Agency adds 4 new entries on the list of substances of very high concern (SVHC); substances potentially relevant for food contact materials

EU court confirms BPA as SVHC

General Court of the European Union upholds bisphenol A as a substance of very high concern, ruling follows complaint by Plastics Europe regarding consideration of information on intermediate uses

EU identifies four phthalates as endocrine disrupting

European Chemicals Agency identifies phthalates DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP as having endocrine disrupting properties; these substances already placed on Authorization List for being toxic to reproduction