On June 1 the European Chemicals Agency has recommended that seven chemical substances of very high concern should not be used without specific authorisation. Three of the recommended substances are classified as toxic to reproduction, one as carcinogenic and three fulfill the criteria for being persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB).
The following substances are concerned:
 
1.       musk xylene
2.       4,4`-diaminodiphenylmethane - MDA
3.       short chained chlorinated paraffins - SCCPs
4.       hexabromocyclododecane - HBCDD
5.       bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate - DEHP
6.       benzylbutylphthalate - BBP
7.       dibutylphthalate - DBP
 
The final decision on the inclusion of the substances in the Authorisation List will be taken by the European Commission following the comitology procedure (regulatory procedure with scrutiny). Substances on this List will in future only be able to be used within the EU when "authorised" for specific purposes.
 
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An updated version of the List of Pre-registered Substances was published Friday 27 March by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). It contains around 143,000 substances which were pre-registered by 65,000 companies between 1 June and 1 December 2008. ECHA states that it does not expect all of these substances to be registered. To consult the list, please click here.

At its meeting in Helsinki of 7 and 8 October 2008 the ECHA Member State Committee unanimously agreed on the identification of 14 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) that may become subject  to authorisation. One additional substance was already identified as SVHC without Member State Committee involvement as no comments were provided during the public consultation.

These 15 substances will be included in the ‘Candidate List’ which will be published on the ECHA website later in October.

The following substances are concerned:

- Anthracene

- 4,4'- Diaminodiphenylmethane

- Dibutyl phthalate

- Cobalt dichloride

- Diarsenic pentaoxide

- Diarsenic trioxide

- Sodium dichromate

- 5-tert-butyl-2,4,6-trinitro-m-xylene (musk xylene)

- Bis (2-ethyl(hexyl)phthalate) (DEHP)

- Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) and all major diastereoisomers identified

- Alkanes, C10-13, chloro (Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins)

- Bis(tributyltin)oxide

- Lead hydrogen arsenate

- Benzyl butyl phthalate

- Triethyl arsenate

For more information visit the ECHA website at echa.europa.eu

17 September 2008 - Brussels. 10 leading NGO’s representing European civil society have come together to press The European Commission, Member States and ECHA to come up with a more comprehensive REACH candidate list.

They would like to see at least 300 substances on the candidate list instead of the current 16.

Therefore they have launched their so-called SIN (Substitute It Now!) list. Greenpeace is, amongst other members collaborating on the SIN list, committed to push the list in the various committees of ECHA where it is a stakeholder member.

For more information please visit: http://www.sinlist.org