REACH

New criteria for endocrine disruptors announced

The European Commission has today announced scientific criteria to determine what is an endocrine disruptor under the pesticides and biocides regulations. ECHA is analysing how the new criteria will impact its work under the Biocidal Products Regulation.

News alert

Considerations for alternative methods need to be included in your testing proposal

If you are proposing to test on vertebrate animals to fulfil an information requirement for your REACH registration, you need to show that you have considered alternative methods first. With the launch of the new version of REACH-IT on 21 June, these considerations need to be documented in your registration dossier and will be subject to completeness check.

News alert

Member State Committee sends two SVHC proposals to the Commission

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. The majority of the MSC also supported the SVHC proposal for 3-benzylidene camphor. The opinions will be sent to the European Commission for final decisions.

News alert

Committee for Socio-economic Analysis concludes on restricting D4 and D5

The Committee also agreed on 31 draft opinions on applications for authorisation.

News alert

Committee for Risk Assessment agrees on 33 draft opinions for authorisation

Committee for Risk Assessment's (RAC) draft opinions concern several uses of hexavalent chromium compounds as well as arsenic acid, 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) and bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether (Diglyme). It also adopted eight opinions on harmonised classification and labelling.

News alert

Further substances assessed by authorities

The public activities coordination tool (PACT) has been updated with information on four substances that are undergoing hazard assessment or risk management option analysis by authorities.

Public activities coordination tool

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Guidance

Draft guidance updates available

The drafts of updated ECHA guidance related to information requirements and chemical safety assessment (IR&CSA) for persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT)/very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances have been sent for consultation with the partner expert group:

• Chapter R.11 (detailed guidance) and Part C (concise guidance) of the Guidance on IR&CSA about PBT/vPvB assessment;
• Chapters R.7b and R.7c of the Guidance on IR&CSA about environmental endpoints.

The aim of these updates is to implement recent scientific developments in the field and to reflect ECHA's current approach to PBT/vPvB assessment.

Potential registrants for the 2018 deadline may be interested in already viewing the draft documents. See the full list of ongoing and foreseen guidance consultations.

Ongoing guidance consultations | News item

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Biocides

Want to keep using sodium p-chloro-m-cresolate?

Companies have withdrawn their interest to get these active substance and product-type combinations approved in the biocides review programme:

• sodium p-chloro-m-cresolate (EC 239-825-8, CAS 15733-22-9) for use in disinfectants and preservatives (product-types 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 13).

Notify ECHA by 25 May 2017 to keep the combinations in the approval process.

Open invitations to notify | Upcoming biocides deadlines

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Board of Appeal

Amendments to the Board of Appeal's Rules of Procedure enter into force

Commission Regulation (EC) No 771/2008 laying down the rules of organisation and procedure of the Board of Appeal has been amended. The main changes, which enter into force today, concern the following:

• The possibility for the Chairman of the Board of Appeal to invite the parties to reach an amicable agreement. In such cases a single member of the Board of Appeal will be appointed;
• The time-limit for submitting an application to intervene in an appeal has been increased from 2 to 3 weeks from the date of publication of the announcement of an appeal;
• For appeals against a substance evaluation decision, the Member State whose competent authority carried out the evaluation can intervene without having to formally establish an interest in the result of that case;
• To increase the independence of the Board of Appeal, the Registrar of the Registry of the Board of Appeal will be appointed directly by the Chairman of the Board of Appeal. In addition, the Chairman is granted managerial and organisational powers to give directions to the Registrar;
• The Rules of Procedure are amended to take into account the possibility of bringing appeals against certain decisions taken by the Agency under the Biocidal Products Regulation.

Commission Implementing Regulation

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Downstream users

Updated downstream user webpages available in 23 EU languages

The downstream user web pages on ECHA's website have been updated to make the information on the roles and obligations of users of chemicals more easily accessible. Content is available in 23 EU languages.

Downstream user web pages

New downstream user LinkedIn page

Have a look at our new 'Users of chemicals' LinkedIn page and help spread the word by sharing the news with your network.

You can also discuss on Twitter @EU_ECHA using the hashtag #UsersOfChemicals.

LinkedIn | Twitter

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Calls for information

Public consultation on the proposed restriction of four phthalates in articles

ECHA, in cooperation with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, is proposing a restriction on the placing on the market of articles containing Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) and Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). This consultation is open until 15 December 2016. ECHA's Scientific Committees welcome comments already by 1 September 2016 to assist them in the first discussion of the proposal in September 2016.

Public consultation

Public consultation on the proposed restriction concerning sprays

Denmark has submitted a report proposing a restriction on the placing on the market of sprays used for the general public containing (3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)silanetriol and any of its mono-, di- or tri-O-(alkyl) derivatives in mixtures with organic solvents. This consultation is open until 15 December 2016. ECHA's Scientific Committees welcome early comments by 1 September 2016 to assist them in the first discussion of the proposal in September 2016.

Public consultation

Have a look at all the 76 currently open consultations on our home page.

All open consultations

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Events

IT tool training material online

We gave training on IUCLID 6, REACH-IT and the Chemical Safety Assessment and Reporting tool (Chesar) during our Stakeholders' Day on 24 May. If you missed the training, you can watch a video recording of the presentation on Chesar and download the presentation on the new features of IUCLID 6 and REACH-IT on the event page. If you need further support with the tools, check our webinars: register to follow them live or view them later in your own time.

Event page | Webinars

Register now for our Biocides Stakeholders' Day

Our Biocides Stakeholders' Day on 1 September will bring you the latest updates and best practice from ECHA, the European Commission and industry. You can also get hands-on support from our experts. Reserve your place now.

Register | Event page

OECD Workshop – Socio-economic impact assessment of chemicals management

This workshop is organised by ECHA together with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The event aims to take stock of and pave the way for increased collaboration in sound chemicals management. Participants will discuss and share experiences between regulators, industry, academia and other stakeholders on assessing the socio-economic impacts of chemicals management.

Event page