MSC sends two SVHC proposals to the Commission for decision making

ECHA/NA/16/24

The majority of the Member State Committee (MSC) supported a proposal to identify the phthalate DCHP as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) and include it in the Candidate List due to its toxicity for reproduction and endocrine disruptive effects to humans. The majority of the MSC supported also the SVHC proposal for 3-benzylidene camphor due to its endocrine disruptive effects to the environment. The MSC opinions and the minority positions will be sent to the European Commission for final decisions.

Helsinki, 10 June 2016 – Sweden in cooperation with Denmark proposed a phthalate - DCHP - to be identified as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) for its toxicity for reproduction and endocrine disrupting properties for human health and the environment. Germany proposed 3-benzylidene camphor and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor for SVHC identification due to their endocrine disrupting properties to the environment.

Following the MSC discussions, Sweden and Denmark decided to withdraw the part of their proposal to identify DCHP as an SVHC based on an equivalent level of concern for the environment (REACH Art 57(f)) in order to generate further information to address some of the issues raised in the public consultation. Similarly, Germany withdrew their SVHC proposal for 4-methylbenzylidene camphor in order to further elaborate on the justification provided.

The MSC unanimously supported the identification of DCHP as SVHC due to its toxic for reproduction properties and also unanimously acknowledged that there is scientific evidence on the endocrine activity of DCHP and on the link between this activity and the adverse effects to human health. A majority of the members supported this substance's SVHC identification also based on its endocrine disrupting properties. A minority of members did not support this proposal as they considered that the endocrine disruption properties are already covered by the harmonised classification for reproductive toxicity.

While the majority of MSC supported the proposal to identify 3-benzylidene camphor as an endocrine disruptor for the environment giving rise to an equivalent level of concern to PBT/vPvB and CMR substances it did not reach unanimous agreement on this. A minority requested more conclusive evidence.

MSC opinions with the majority views and the minority positions on both proposals were presented during the meeting. ECHA will submit the opinions and the minority positions on the DCHP and 3-benzylidene camphor proposals to the European Commission for decision making.