March 14, 2023

ECHA Enforcement Forum Project Finds Most Downstream Users Adhere to “Fundamental” Authorization Duties

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on March 8, 2023, the results of the Enforcement Forum’s European Union (EU)-wide project on inspections of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) authorization duties. During the project, the enforcement authorities of 28 countries carried out 690 inspections at 516 companies. According to ECHA, the most commonly controlled substances of very high concern (SVHC) were chromium trioxide and strontium chromate....
March 1, 2023

ECHA Updates Recommendations to Improve REACH Registrations

On February 28, 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that it updated its recommendations to improve Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registrations. According to ECHA, the recommendations are based on ECHA’s findings from registration dossier compliance checks and take recent changes to REACH information requirements into account. The recommendations focus on the rules for using adaptations to assess the safety of chemicals without...
February 21, 2023

ECHA Announces Updates to Monomer and Polymer Guidance Following Board of Appeal Decision

On June 29, 2021, the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Board of Appeal (BoA) issued a decision on a compliance check case (A-001-2020) regarding registration obligations for polymer importers. ECHA rejected the adaptations by which the Appellant had sought to fulfill the standard information requirements for a sub-chronic toxicity study (Section 8.6.2. of Annex IX to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation), a pre-natal developmental...
February 8, 2023

ECHA Announces Changes to Completeness Checks

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) carries out a completeness check on each incoming registration, as set out in Article 20(2) of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. In 2021 and 2022, the European Commission (EC) amended some of the information requirements for registering chemicals under REACH. In its January 23, 2023, press release, ECHA states that, beginning May 1, 2023, it will start...
February 8, 2023

ECHA Announces Changes to Completeness Checks

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) carries out a completeness check on each incoming registration, as set out in Article 20(2) of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. In 2021 and 2022, the European Commission (EC) amended some of the information requirements for registering chemicals under REACH. In its January 23, 2023, press release, ECHA states that, beginning May 1, 2023, it will start checking both new registrations and updates to...
January 31, 2023

ECHA Adds Nine Hazardous Chemicals to Candidate List

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on January 17, 2023, that it has added nine chemicals to the Candidate List because of their hazardous properties. According to ECHA, the chemicals are used in flame retardants, paints and coatings, inks and toners, coating products, and plasticizers, and in the manufacture of pulp and paper. The chemicals are: Substance Name Reason for Inclusion Examples of Use(s) 1,1′-[ethane-1,2-diylbisoxy]bis[2,4,6-tribromobenzene] Very persistent and very...
January 26, 2023

Recording Available For “Two Years Later: How Has the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Changed REACH and CLP Regulations?”

The Acta Group’s (Acta®) January 17, 2023, webinar, “Two Years Later: How Has the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Changed REACH and CLP Regulations?,” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner, EPPA; Thomas Petry, Ph.D., Managing Director, ToxMinds; Jane S. Vergnes, Ph.D., DABT®, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Director of Toxicology, Acta; and Lynn L. Bergeson, President, Acta, explore exactly how the Chemicals...
January 23, 2023

ECHA Consulting on Harmonized Classification and Labeling for IPBC

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is holding a public consultation on a harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) proposal for a biocidal active substance, 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate; 3-iodoprop-2-yn-1-yl butylcarbamate (IPBC) (European Community Number (EC No.) 259-627-5, Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number® (CAS RN®) 55406-53-6). ECHA used a combined format, including the competent authority (renewal) assessment report prepared...
January 17, 2023

ECHA Receives “One of the Broadest” Proposals to Restrict PFAS under REACH

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on January 13, 2023, that the national authorities of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden have submitted a proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. ECHA will publish the detailed proposal, “one of the broadest in the [European Union’s (EU)] history,” on February 7, 2023. According to ECHA, the national...
January 10, 2023

ECHA Begins Consultations on Proposed Restrictions of BPA and Other Bisphenols and Creosote and Creosote-Related Substances

On December 21, 2022, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) began two public consultations: Comments on the proposals are due June 22, 2023. ECHA states that comments submitted by January 25, 2023, will be used by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) in their first discussions of the proposals in March 2023....