ECHA recommends 10 SVHCs for authorisation

21-Jan-2013 - Finland

This is the fourth ECHA recommendation of substances for authorisation from the Candidate List. The 10 new substances have been prioritised based on their hazard properties, volumes used, and use related potential for exposure to humans. In its recommendation, the Agency took into account the comments received during public consultation last summer and the opinion of the Member State Committee from December 2012, which is supporting ECHA's recommendation. For each substance recommended for inclusion in Annex XIV, a deadline (the sunset date) is suggested after which companies will only be able to use it within the EU if an authorisation has been granted.

The final decision on the inclusion of the substances in Annex XIV (the authorisation list) and on their sunset dates will be taken by the European Commission in collaboration with Member States and the European Parliament.

The authorisation regime is one of the core mechanisms of REACH for the protection of human health and the environment. Making these 10 substances of very high concern (SVHCs) subject to authorisation ensures that their risks are properly controlled and that the substances are progressively replaced with suitable alternative substances or technologies.

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The 10 substances, including examples of their uses in the scope of authorisation, are:

#	Substance name and SVHC property	Uses in the scope of authorisation (examples)
1	Formaldehyde, oligomeric reaction products with aniline (technical MDA) (carcinogenic)	Hardener for epoxy resins; curing agent for polymers
2	Arsenic acid (carcinogenic)	Used to modify properties of glass and in the production of printed circuit boards
3	Dichromium tris(chromate) (carcinogenic)	Anti-corrosion surface treatments of steel and aluminium in the construction and the aeronautic sectors
4	Strontium chromate (carcinogenic)	Anti-corrosion coatings in the aeronautic/aerospace, coil coating and vehicle coating sectors
5	Potassium hydroxyoctaoxodizincatedichromate (carcinogenic)	Anti-corrosion coatings in the aeronautic/aerospace and vehicle coating sectors
6	Pentazinc chromate octahydroxide (carcinogenic)	Anti-corrosion coatings in the vehicle coating and the aeronautic/aerospace sectors
7	Bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether (Diglyme) (toxic for reproduction)	Primarily used as a reaction solvent or process chemical in distillation applications; further in batteries and in the production of plastics
8	N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) (toxic for reproduction)	Solvent in synthesis, the production of synthetic fibres, in industrial coatings, paint strippers, insulation paper, films and membranes
9	1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) (carcinogenic)	Solvent in the manufacture of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals and in mixtures for biochemical applications
10	2,2'-dichloro-4,4'-methylenedianiline (MOCA) (carcinogenic)	Curing agent in resins and in the production of polymer articles