ECHA committees reach consensus on PFHxS but not on resorcinol

Committee agrees to support Norway’s restriction proposal on manufacture and placing on the market of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and related substances; cannot reach consensus to identify resorcinol as substance of very high concern (SVHC), agree that it is endocrine disrupting under World Health Organization (WHO) definition

ECHA holds online safer chemicals conference

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) online event features 14 presentations from government agencies and industry associations, retailers; covers topics under the themes of safer chemicals, tracking substances of concern, and harmonized information for poison control centers; slides and recordings available

Recycling association circular economy paper

European recycling association EuRIC AISBL shows concern for lack of interface between EU chemicals, product, and waste legislation; provides recommendations to support circular economy including harmonizing EU waste legislation, derogations for legacy substances

ECHA considers placing 7 substances on authorization list

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launches public consultation to collect additional information on substances of very high concern (SVHCs); 6 are food contact chemicals, including dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)

Prototype of SVHC reporting database open for testing

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) releases prototype version of database, aims to help companies familiarize themselves with submitting notifications for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in articles; final database to be launched in late 2020, become mandatory January 5, 2021

New European commissioner targets non-toxic material cycles

European Commissioner for the Internal Market (DG Grow) commits to removing hazardous substances from material cycles in first address to Parliamentary committee on environment; aims to harmonize rules for substances of very high concern (SVHCs), update REACH legislation to manage endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

EU launches app about SVHCs in products

AskREACH project’s ‘Scan4Chem’ app allows consumers to scan product barcodes and retrieve information on presence of substances of very high concern (SVHCs); users can also submit information requests to companies, see all requests and responses across EU countries

ECHA adds 4 SVHCs to Candidate List

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) adds 4 substances of very high concern (SVHCs) to candidate list for authorization, includes additive potentially used in food contact polymer production and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and its salts

ECHA recognizes PFBS as substance of very high concern

European member states agree to recognize perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC); cite equivalent concern to carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic substances, high mobility in environment

SIN List update includes 20 food contact chemicals

ChemSec announces major update to Substitute It Now (SIN) List, adds 47 new chemicals including including persistent, mobile, and toxic substances, carbon nanotubes; announcement event brings together stakeholders to discuss clean circular economy