EU competent authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) members debate merits of mandatory pre-registration of polymers under REACH; several EU member states voice support for pre-registration; discussion to continue in 2021
November 26, 2020
ECHA’s CLH proposal on TBBPA open for consultation
Norway submits harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) proposal to European Chemical Agency (ECHA) for brominated flame retardant tetrabrombishpenol A (TBBPA); suggests adding classification of being possibly carcinogenic following rodent studies providing evidence; proposal still open for comments until January 29, 2021
November 24, 2020
US EPA extends PV29 TSCA evaluation comment period
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for draft risk evaluation of C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) under its TSCA regulation; new draft adds previously confidential business data, solubility testing data, workplace air monitoring; concludes 11 of 14 conditions of use for PV29 pose unreasonable risk; toxicity debate ongoing also in Europe; EPA extends comment period for the revised draft until December 19, 2020
November 18, 2020
EU surveys consumers on nanotechnology
European Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) publishes survey that reveals 87% of consumers from five EU countries wish for better labelling of everyday products containing nanotechnology
November 16, 2020
ECHA calls for comments on chlorinated paraffins
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) seeks information on manufacture, use, exposure, environmental release of chlorinated alkanes to inform restriction proposal; comments accepted until December 15, 2020
November 2, 2020
ECHA launches SCIP database
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) opens database tracking substances of very high concern (SVHCs) present in products; companies required to submit information via the database beginning January 2021
September 22, 2020
ECHA director responds to criticisms
Interview with Bjorn Hansen discusses efficiency of data sharing across chemical assessments, incompleteness of REACH registration dossiers, identification of additional SVHCs, and the upcoming EU chemicals strategy
September 1, 2020
EEB analysis critical of ECHA microplastics restriction
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) disapproves of updates the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) made to its restriction proposal for microplastics in consumer and professional products; criticizes increase in microplastic size limit to 100 nm; ECHA defends changes, argues that regulation must be enforceable, cites lacking analytical techniques
July 8, 2020
ECHA survey identifies drivers and barriers of chemical substitution
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes report on motivations for companies to substitute hazardous chemicals; greatest drivers found to be regulatory restrictions under REACH, customer demand, internal sustainability strategies
June 25, 2020
ECHA adds four new SVHCs to candidate list
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identifies four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs) set to be phased-out; two are food contact chemicals including 1-vinylimidazole and 2-methylimidazole
