ECHA Committees support 16 uses of substances of very high concern

ECHA's Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) have issued opinions in support of authorising the use of substances of very high concern (SVHCs). The opinions are based on eight applications for 16 specific uses from companies in which they gave reasons for continuing use of the substance. They also described their plans to replace the SVHCs with safer alternatives in the future. Geert Dancet, ECHA Executive Director, states: "These opinions represent another step forward in the process of authorising the use of SVHCs. They demonstrate that, where companies can show that there is no alternative to their use, they can achieve certainty for continuing their business in the medium term. The process is now clearly working well."

News alert

New consultations on SEAC's draft opinions on restriction proposals for NMP and Cadmium and its compunds in paints

ECHA has launched a public consultation on the draft opinions of the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) on the restriction proposals for 1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and for Cadmium and its compounds in paints. The deadline for comments is 14 November 2014. SEAC will consider these comments in its final opinions. In December 2014, ECHA will submit the opinions of RAC and SEAC to the European Commission.

Restrictions under consideration

Public consultation on a proposed restriction on the use of decaBDE, a brominated flame retardant used in plastics and textiles

At the request of the European Commission, ECHA has submitted a report proposing a restriction on the manufacturing, use and placing on the market of bis(pentabromophenyl) ether (decaBDE). The proposed restriction also extends to articles containing decaBDE in concentrations greater than 0.1% by weight, including articles manufactured from recycled materials. There are some exemptions to the proposed restriction.

DecaBDE is mainly used as a flame retardant in plastics and textiles, but has other minor identified uses. DecaBDE has been identified as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) on the basis of its persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) properties. ECHA welcomes feedback on the proposed restriction during public consultation. Specific questions on certain aspects of the proposed restriction (e.g. use in adhesives, sealants, coatings and inks, information on recycling and on potential additional costs of the restriction) have also been posed.

The consultation is open from 17 September 2014 to 17 March 2015. ECHA's Scientific Committees welcome early comments by 17 November 2014 to assist them in the first discussions of the restriction proposal.

Restrictions under consideration

Tell us what you think of our news services

Last week we sent you our annual news readership survey, looking for your feedback on our e-News and Newsletter. We actively encourage you to take part in the survey, as this is your chance to help us improve our news services to you. You will have received an email to your inbox with a direct link to the short survey. However, if you are a news subscriber and have not yet received the link, please let us know at: surveys@echa.europa.eu.

The survey will be open until 30 September 2014.

Registry of Intentions updated

CLH

Six new intentions were added to the Registry of Intentions. The new intentions are:

• Ipconazole (ISO)
• 5-fluoro-1,3-dimethyl-N-[2-(4-methylpentan-2-yl)phenyl]-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide
• Methyl 4-[(4,5-dihydro-3-methoxy-4-methyl-5-oxo-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)carbonylsulfamoyl]-5-methylthiophene-3-carboxylate
• N-(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide (NMA)
• potassium permanganate
• Medetomidine

The Registry of Intentions was also updated with a new submission:

• Quizalofop-P-tefuryl; (+/-) tetrahydrofurfuryl (R)-2-[4-(6-chloroquinoxalin-2-yloxy)phenyloxy]propionate

Current CLH intentions | Submitted CLH proposals

One week left until the Biocides Stakeholders' Day!

24 September 2014, Helsinki

Visit our website to get the latest updates about the event. You can find a recently published list of speakers, updated programme and information about submitting your questions to the panel remotely.

Registration has closed but if you still wish to participate, you can send an email to: echa-events@echa.europa.eu and request to be placed on a waiting list. In case of cancellations, people on the waiting list will receive a place on a first-come, first-served basis. In case you are no longer able to attend, let us know via the same email address to free your place for another interested participant.

Event page | Watch the webstream | List of speakers

Mixture classification and communicating safe use of mixtures. Advice for formulators and importers.

5 November 2014, 11:00 – 13:00 Helsinki Time (EEST, GMT +3)

This webinar is about the classification of mixtures and on how information on the safe use of mixtures can be communicated in the supply chain. It aims to help formulators and importers understand and implement their obligations according to the REACH and CLP regulations relating to mixtures.

In anticipation of the 2015 deadline for classifying mixtures according to CLP, this webinar describes the steps a supplier should take to (re)classify mixtures. It also describes how formulators can handle and communicate the information they receive in exposure scenarios for hazardous substances. The related REACH and CLP obligations are outlined and participants are guided to the wide range of support material that is available to help fulfil these obligations.

Register

ePIC Industry Webinar – material available online

26 August 2014, 11:00 – 13:00 Helsinki Time (EEST, GMT +3)

The webinar gives an overview of the ePIC tool used by industry to meet their obligations under the Prior Informed Consent Regulation. It covered basic aspects of the tool such as the interface, buttons, search functions and other features. The webinar provides a useful introduction to the new features of the tool which was launched on 2 September.

Presentations