In an article published on May 24, 2017 regulatory news provider Chemical Watch informed about a joint project led by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), aimed at generating a PESTOOL-based inventory of plastic additives. The release is expected by the end of summer 2017. Other project participants include the industry associations EUROCOLOUR and European Plastics Converters (EuPC).
The project is part of ECHA’s work on identifying “ways to prioritize substances for further regulatory risk management, by addressing data gaps related to hazard properties, and information on exposure and uses.” The group members will also discuss “approaches to determine the release potential of additives from plastic articles.” According to Chemical Watch, ECHA has clarified that these activities “are designed to complement and inform rather than replace ongoing and planned regulatory processes, such as compliance checks and substance evaluations.”
This group also works on developing a “sector use map for plastic compounding and conversion,” Chemical Watch further informed. Sector use maps are “templates where sectors can share how they are using different chemicals,” as outlined in the statement made by ECHA and Cefic in October 2016. The development of sector use maps, pursued in an ongoing collaboration between ECHA and industrial partners, is expected to improve communication along the chemicals supply chain in Europe.
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Chemical Watch (May 24, 2017). “ECHA, Cefic assess plastic additives use and exposure.”
Cefic (October 6, 2016). “Communication is key to chemical safety: Cefic, ECHA and DUCC join forces.”
ECHA (October 6, 2016). “Communication is key to chemical safety: ECHA, Cefic and DUCC join forces.”
Luke Buxton (May 25, 2017). “ECHA, DUCC try to promote use maps in time for 2018 registrations.”
