News

ECHA’s committees recommend restricting a subgroup of PFAS

The Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) supported Norway’s proposal to restrict the use of perfluorohexane-1-sulphonic acid (PFHxS) to prevent it being used as a regrettable substitute for another 'forever chemical' PFOA, which will be banned from July onwards.

More | Annex | PFAS - convenience but at what cost?

REACH

Resorcinol not identified as a substance of very high concern

ECHA’s Member State Committee (MSC) did not agree to identify resorcinol as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) due to its endocrine-disrupting properties. Now, the Commission's REACH Committee will make a final decision.

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New intention to identify a substance of very high concern

bis(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl) ether (EC 205-594-7, CAS 143-24-8)

Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome

Committees’ consolidated opinions on application for authorisation available

The applications are for uses of:

4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol, ethoxylated (EC -, CAS -) by Kedrion S.p.A;
4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol, ethoxylated (EC -, CAS -) by Abbott Diagnostics GmbH; and
4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol, ethoxylated (EC -, CAS -) by Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited.

Opinions

Testing proposals

ECHA has launched 28 new consultations on testing proposals. The deadline for comments is 3 August 2020.

There are currently 73 open consultations on testing proposals.

Give comments

CLP

New proposals to harmonise classification and labelling

2,2',6,6'-tetrabromo-4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (EC 201-236-9, CAS 79-94-7); and
benalaxyl (ISO); methyl N-phenylacetyl-N-2,6-xylyl-DL-alaninate (EC 275-728-7, CAS 71626-11-4).

Registry of CLH intentions until outcome

Tips for successful poison centre notifications

Are you notifying your hazardous mixtures to poison centres? Watch our video with useful tips that will help you make a successful notification.

Persistent organic pollutants

PFOA banned under POPs Regulation

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds have been banned under the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation. The aim is to avoid exposure of EU citizens and the environment to this persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substance group.

The ban will apply from 4 July 2020 and follows a decision taken at the Stockholm Convention in May 2019 and will replace the restriction of PFOA under REACH.

Official Journal

Guest corner

Household chemicals linked to delays in child development

A study indicates that frequent use of common household products is linked to delays in children’s development, writes Dr Hui Jiang and Dr Randi Bates from the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy. The study investigated how often children were exposed to chemicals in common household products and how this affected their early language and cognition.