On April 14, 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced it has published a recommendation to the European Commission (EC) to add seven substances of very high concern (SVHCs) from the EU’s REACH Candidate List to the Authorization List due to being “hazardous, produced in high volumes and widely used.”
These substances include the siloxanes octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4; CAS 556-67-2), decamethylcyclopentasiloxan (D5; CAS 541-02-6), and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6, CAS 540-97-6). The four other substances are terphenyl, hydrogenated (CAS 61788-32-7), the plasticizer di(2-propylheptyl) phthalate (DCHP; CAS 53306-54-0), disodium octaborate (CAS 12280-03-4) and benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2-anhydride (TMA; CAS 552-30-7).
D4, D5, DCHP, disodium octaborate, and TMA are all known to be intentionally used in food contact materials according to the Food Contact Chemicals database (FCCdb). The siloxanes and some of their uses are also already restricted or in the process of being restricted under REACH (FPF reported).
The finals decision on whether the substances are to be included in the authorization list will be taken by the European Commission, together with the EU Member States and the European Parliament.
Read More
ECHA (April 14, 2021). “ECHA proposes seven substances for authorisation to protect people and the environment.”
