News & Announcements
The European Chemical Agency
15 January 2017
The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) added four new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the Candidate List [1]. The addition of these new SVHCs brings the total number of entries to 173.

According to Article 33 of REACH, European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) manufacturers and importers of articles are required to provide information to allow the safe use of products by the recipients upon supply and to consumers within 45 days, upon request, when the concentration of the SVHC in the article exceeds 0.1% (w/w).

For articles that contain an SVHC in which the concentration is above 0.1% with the quantity over one ton per year, a notification shall be submitted to ECHA by the manufacturers or the importers under Article 7 of REACH. The notification of SVHCs in an article shall be made within six months of their inclusion on the List. The notification deadline for the four new SVHCs added to the Candidate List is July 12, 2017.

The four new SVHCs in the Candidate List are:
§ 4,4’-Isopropylidenediphenol (Bisphenol A) (Use as anti-oxidant for processing PVC,Use in epoxy resin hardeners, epoxy adhesives.
 
§ Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and its sodium and ammonium salts(Used as water, oil and soil repellent in textile, leather and paper, Used as stain and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, furniture upholstery and carpet, Used in nanosprays and impregnation sprays, Used as lubricant, wetting agent, plasticiser and corrosion inhibitor).
 
§ p-(1,1-Dimethylpropyl)phenol(Used in adhesive, sealants, coatings and paints/Used as a germicide in cleaning solutions, Used in the production of phenolic resins and lacquers)
 
§ 4-Heptylphenol, branched and linear(Used as polymer )
 
 
SVHCs may be introduced into various consumer products due to the complexities of both the supply chain and production process. Identifying high risk products or materials, or having a test strategy, can also be a smart way to ensure compliance and save costs. If you would like to learn more about how G.I.TO can support your REACH compliance activities please contact us.