European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) study analyzes costs and benefits of REACH restrictions proposed during 2016-2020; finds public health benefits of €2.1 billion per year outweigh costs of €0.5 billion per year; restrictions protect over seven million EU citizens from cancers, sexual development disorders, asthma, skin allergies; prevents annual release of 100 000 tons of polluting chemicals
January 26, 2021
REACH exemption of recycling sector checked
The Forum for Exchange of Information on Enforcement (Forum) launches 9th REACH enforcement project (REF-9) and pilot project; examines if SVHCs placed on the market have been authorized, checks practice if registration exception for substances recovered from wastes is compliant under REACH, results are to be expected by 2022.
January 20, 2021
ECHA adds organotin chemicals as SVHCs
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) includes dioctyltin dilaurate (CAS 3648-18-8) and several other organotin compounds to candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHCs)
January 11, 2021
EU revises REACH restriction annex
New regulation updates entries within restricted chemicals list of REACH; removes substances now covered in separate law on persistent organic pollutants, adds toxicity classifications, updates standards for compliance with use of azo colorants
December 17, 2020
EU court confirms BPA as SVHC for endocrine effects on wildlife
Industry association PlasticsEurope loses third court case challenging legal classification of bisphenol A (BPA) as substance of very high concern (SVHC); EU General Court supports European Chemicals Agency’s recognition of BPA’s endocrine disrupting effects on wildlife
December 4, 2020
NGOs, industry criticize changes to REACH Annexes
NGOs and industry comment on changes to REACH Annexes VII and XI; criticize not taking into account current state of science, limiting the application of non-animal approaches, setting a cut-off date for existing data; concerns about repetition of animal studies among animal welfare NGOs
December 3, 2020
Review confirms additive approach for chemical mixtures
Systematic review analyzes over 700 mixture studies, confirms additive models are a good approximation, finds research focus primarily on binary mixtures; European Commission (EC) plans mixture assessment factor (MAF) for REACH; development of general mixture risk assessment methods and viable approaches to regulation still needed
November 30, 2020
CARACAL meeting on pre-registration of polymers
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 30, 2020
EU SVHC-checking app available in 15 countries
App enables consumers to request information from providers on presence of substances of very high concern; launched in 15 EU countries
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
