ECHA looks into substances of ‘high concern’

Europe – The European Commission has charged the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) with identifying and classifying potential ‘€˜substances of very high concern’€™ (SVHCs). The agency’€™s mission is to determine whether at least 54 suspect chemicals pose such a danger that they should be limited or banned entirely.

The exercise covers persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and highly persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances such as dibutyltin dichloride and methoxyacetic acid. Each will be designated as category 1 or 2 in a detailed listing that will be shared publicly.

Before the screening process began, a total of 84 agents were considered for inclusion. The commission states that new recommendations are still welcome and hopes a collaborative effort will enable it to present a list containing more than 130 chemicals of concern by the end of the year.

So far, countries including Germany, Austria and Poland have put 37 chemicals up for assessment.Suggestions may be submitted to ECHA until 18 October, by filling in a form on the agency’€™s website.

For more information, visit: www.echa.europa.eu/proposals-to-identify-substances-of-very-high-concern