OECD urges restricted substances list for plastics

OECD report suggests establishing global list of restricted substances for plastics manufacturing in order to ‘support quality and consistency in recycling’

EU court rejects industry appeal on DEHP

EU Court of Justice dismisses industry appeal against ECHA’s identification of DEHP as endocrine disruptor for the environment; case sets precedent for other ongoing suits e.g. on BPA

Film about Marketplace platform

NGO ChemSec releases short film to bring attention to Marketplace, online resource for buyers and suppliers of safer chemical alternatives

Amended Taiwanese chemicals law

Taiwan’s chemical substance control act amended to add focus on ‘chemical substances of concern’; introduces conditions that can be applied upon registration

Limited ECHA database due to funding

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) set to create limited, prototype version of database on substances of very high concern in products; talks on sustainable financing solutions ongoing

4 new PAHs on SVHC list

European Chemicals Agency includes 6 new chemicals, 4 of them polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in the candidate list of substances of very high concern

ECHA’s plan for substitution activities in 2019

European Chemical Agency plans to hold several substitution-related events, demonstrate alternatives analyses, publish alternatives data from authorization applications, update substitution strategy

EU Regions’ opinion on plastics strategy

EU Committee of Regions releases opinion urging that hazardous substances be ‘completely removed’ from plastic products by 2025, in order to boost circular economy

Disagreement over ECHA’s SVHC database

Opposing positions taken by industry, NGOs, scientific expert with regard to ECHA’s planned database on SVHCs in products

ECHA: 2nd consultation on phthalates’ authorization

ECHA consults on uses of DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP which may no longer be exempted from authorization, including FCM uses; deadline for comments March 12, 2019