In an article published on December 18, 2018, regulatory news provider Chemical Watch informed that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a public consultation “on a draft recommendation for amendment of Authorisation List entries” for the four phthalates bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, CAS 117-81-7), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP, CAS 85-68-7), dibutyl phthalate (DBP, CAS 84-74-2), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP, CAS 84-69-5).
These four phthalates have previously been identified as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) due to their reprotoxic and endocrine disrupting properties (FPF reported). The proposed amendment intends to reflect the substances’ endocrine disrupting properties in the Authorisation List. As a consequence, some of the currently exempted uses of these substances would require authorization in the future. Affected uses include “the four phthalates in mixtures in concentrations equal or above 0.1 % w/w (so far the concentration limit has been 0.3 % w/w),” as well as “DEHP (e.g. in food contact materials [(FCMs)] or medical devices) that will no longer fall under the ‘generic exemptions from the authorization requirement’ . . . due to the endocrine disrupting effects on the environment of DEHP.”
Comments can be submitted until March 12, 2019. Earlier this year, from June 5 to August 6, 2018, ECHA already held a public consultation on the same matter (FPF reported).
Read more
Chemical Watch (December 18, 2018). “ECHA consults on Annex XIV EDC amendment for four phthalates.”
