Compendium on analytical methods to enforce restrictions published

ECHA/NI/16/15

The compendium describes over 100 recommended analytical methods that inspectors in Europe can use when checking compliance with REACH restrictions in Annex XVII. The compendium is also useful for companies facing inspections.

Helsinki, 31 March 2016 - The compendium will be used in the ongoing REACH-EN-FORCE 4 (REF-4) project which is coordinated by ECHA's Enforcement Forum. In this project, enforcement authorities in 29 European countries inspect restrictions of 14 substances which may be found in consumer products, such as textiles, toys or jewellery or used professionally, for glues or brazing fillers.

The inspections under the REF-4 project will last for the whole of 2016 and may target different REACH dutyholders – for example, importers and distributors of chemicals and articles that may contain the restricted substances. The enforcement authorities will also cooperate with the customs authorities.

The coordinated inspections under REF-4 will check if companies comply with REACH restrictions for the following substances:

• benzene
• asbestos fibres
• cadmium and its compounds
• nickel and its compounds
• chloroform
• azocolourants and azodyes
• diphenylether, octabromo derivative (C12H2Br8O)
• chromium VI compounds
• toluene
• trichlorobenzene
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
• phthalates
• lead and its compounds

However, countries may also choose to inspect compliance with other restrictions as well. The results of the project and the final report are expected in late 2017.