Progress in identifying and managing risks of substances that matter most

Progress in identifying and managing risks of substances that matter most

ECHA/NA/2016/13

The SVHC Roadmap implementation is now well underway and the results of the work start to be visible. More than 400 substances are under scrutiny by Member States and ECHA.

Helsinki, 4 April 2016 - The second report of the SVHC Roadmap implementation is now available and describes the main achievements and progress of the activities covered under the SVHC Roadmap to 2020 (screening, generation of data and assessment and risk management option analysis (RMOA)) in 2015. It also provides an update on regulatory risk management activities under the REACH and CLP regulations and looks ahead to activities planned for 2016.

The different blocks of the SVHC Roadmap are now well in place and support the identification of the substances that matter most. The impact of the SVHC Roadmap work starts to be more visible at all steps compared to last year's report. The focus of the authorities has moved from substances already known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and/or toxic to reproduction (CMRs) to identification and further regulatory action on substances with other properties such as substances with persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties (PBT) and/or being endocrine disruptors (EDs).

REACH and CLP processes have been further integrated by including the compliance check in the common screening and this will be further enhanced in 2016. 107 compliance checks addressing substances that matter the most have been concluded in 2015, over 80 % of which resulted in a draft decision requesting further information.

ECHA together with Member States are working to identify those substances that matter most for human health and the environment. Approximately 20 Member States are actively working every year on about 400 substances either under screening, generation and assessment of further data or risk management option analysis. For many of those substances, generation of data is required before it can be concluded whether regulatory action is needed. Therefore, it will take time before we see new substances entering the REACH regulatory processes.

Background

The ‘Roadmap for SVHC identification and implementation of REACH risk management measures from now to 2020' (called the SVHC Roadmap) gives an EU-wide commitment for having all relevant, currently known substances of very high concern (SVHCs) included in the candidate list for authorisation by 2020. Implementing the roadmap should also provide a strong basis for the work beyond 2020 to identify the substances that matter most and to timely and effectively address them under the REACH and CLP regulations.