ECHA Launches Consultation on 15 'Substances of Very High Concern'
September 2, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
On Sept. 1, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published proposals to identify 15 additional chemicals as a "substance of very high concern" (SVHC).
These substances were proposed by member states of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area, as well as by the European Commission. Interested parties are welcome to comment on these substances within the next 45 days.
Nine of the substances are proposed to be identified as SVHCs because of their carcinogenic, mutagenic and/or reprotoxic (CMR) properties, meaning they have potentially serious effects on human health.
Five substances are proposed to be identified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, as well as very persistent and very bioaccumulative (PBT), meaning they have potentially serious negative effects on the environment.
One substance is proposed because it is considered both as CMR and PBT.
The substances proposed to be classified as SVHCs are listed below.
| Substance name |
CAS number |
EC number |
Proposed SVHC property |
| Anthracene oil |
90640-80-5 |
292-602-7 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic |
| Anthracene oil, anthracene paste, distillation lights* |
91995-17-4 |
295-278-5 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic |
| Anthracene oil, anthracene paste, anthracene fraction |
91995-15-2 |
295-275-9 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic |
| Anthracene oil, anthracene-low |
90640-82-7 |
292-604-8 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic |
| Anthracene oil, anthracene paste |
90640-81-6 |
292-603-2 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic |
| Coal tar pitch, high temperature |
65996-93-2 |
266-028-2 |
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic; carcinogen, category 2 |
| Acrylamide |
79-06-1 |
201-173-7 |
Carcinogen, category 2; mutagen, category 2 |
| Aluminiosilicate, refractory ceramic fibres |
- |
650-017-00-8** |
Carcinogen, category 2 |
| Zirconia aluminosilicate, refractory ceramic fibres |
- |
650-017-00-8** |
Carcinogen, category 2 |
| 2,4-Dinitrotoluene |
121-14-2 |
204-450-0 |
Carcinogen, category 2 |
| Diisobutyl phthalate |
84-69-5 |
201-553-2 |
Toxic for reproduction, category 2 |
| Lead chromate |
7758-97-6 |
231-846-0 |
Carcinogen, category 2; toxic for reproduction, category 1 |
Lead chromate molybdate sulphate red
(Colour Index pigment red 104) |
12656-85-8 |
235-759-9 |
Carcinogen, category 2; toxic for reproduction, category 1 |
Lead sulfochromate yellow
(Colour Index pigment yellow 34) |
1344-37-2 |
215-693-7 |
Carcinogen, category 2; toxic for reproduction, category 1 |
| Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate |
115-96-8 |
204-118-5 |
Toxic for reproduction, category 2 |
|
* Light fractions from distillation.
** All refractory ceramic fibres are covered by index number 650-017-00-8 in Annex VI of the so-called CLP regulation - Regulation No 1272/2008 on the classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) of chemical substances. |
Anyone can comment on these 15 SVHC proposals by Oct. 15, 2009, by accessing the relevant link on the SVHC consultation page on the ECHA web site. In particular, comments should focus on the hazardous properties that qualify the chemicals as SVHCs.
In addition, parties can provide comments and further information on the uses, exposures and availability of safer alternative substances or techniques, although these aspects will mainly be considered at the next stage of the process, which includes a new round of public consultation.
Comments received during the consultation period will be submitted to ECHA's Member State Committee when it is deciding whether it agrees with the proposed identification of each substances as a SVHC. If the committee unanimously agrees to the proposals, ECHA will place the substances on the so-called Candidate List, which already contains 15 substances.
Substances appearing on this list may eventually be included in the list of substances subject to authorisation (the Authorisation List). In this case, after a transition period, they can be used only if a specific authorisation is granted. Information requirements for suppliers of substances, preparations and articles containing these substances will also follow from the inclusion of the substances in the Candidate List.
The comments from this public consultation will be taken into account when deciding whether the substances will be added to the Candidate List, from which substances are selected for authorisation.
For more information, see the ECHA web page on Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern for Authorisation.
Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).