REACH

Reminder: Call for evidence on broad PFAS restriction

Send in your information and evidence by 31 July 2020 to help five European countries prepare a joint restriction proposal on the manufacture and use of a wide range of PFAS.

Call for evidence

Restriction proposal for three lead chromates postponed until April 2021

ECHA is expected to submit the Annex XV restriction report for lead chromate, lead sulfochromate yellow (C.I. Pigment Yellow 34) and lead chromate molybdate sulphate red (C.I. Pigment Red 104) on 9 April 2021.

Registry of restriction intentions

Video training on analysis of alternatives

Given the increasing interest in our online training on analysis of alternatives, we have published the training videos for easy and continuous access. The training includes useful tools, guidance, and information for practitioners of analysis of alternatives. It consists of an introduction and five sessions:

Scoping your assessment
Identifying and screening alternatives
Hazard and exposure
Cost and technical performance
Making and implementing decisions

Watch | More about the training

CLP

Proposals and intentions to harmonise classification and labelling

An intention has been received for sodium 3-(allyloxy)-2-hydroxypropanesulphonate (EC 258-004-5, CAS 52556-42-0).

A proposal has been submitted for ozone (EC 233-069-2, CAS 10028-15-6).

Registry of CLH intentions until outcome

Join the poison centres group on LinkedIn

If you are a downstream user or importer of hazardous mixtures, you have to submit information on the chemicals through the ECHA Submission portal. Need help? Join our LinkedIn group on poison centres and get support from our experts.

Join our LinkedIn group

Nanopinions

Material manufacturing from nano-scaled particles: moving forward using plants

A team led by Aalto University has discovered a remarkable property of nanocelluloses: their strong binding properties form new materials when compounded with virtually any nano- or microparticle.

Some examples of materials being developed from nanoparticles obtained from biomass include adhesives, high strength filaments, composite fillers and 3D-printing bioinks.

Read the latest Nanopinion from Dr Blaise Tardy from Aalto University and join the conversation by commenting on the posts on the EU Nanomaterials Observatory. (Image by Bruno Mattos/Aalto University)

More

Board of Appeal

New ECHA Board of Appeal decisions on data and cost-sharing

The Board of Appeal has published two decisions concerning data and cost-sharing. The Appellant had applied to ECHA for permission to refer to vertebrate animal studies from registrations of the substances.

ECHA refused permission to refer on the grounds that the Appellant’s behaviour during the data and cost-sharing negotiations did not show a real intention to find an agreement. The Board of Appeal annulled ECHA’s decisions and granted the Appellant permission to refer.

More

Guest corner

EU Member States should stop exporting toxic chemicals

To ensure social justice and human rights are observed, one simple step for EU Member States would be to stop exporting toxic chemicals and pesticides prohibited from use for health or environmental reasons - unless there is a strong public interest justification.

In our latest Guest Corner contribution, Mr Baskut Tuncak, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes, argues that European countries would be wise to look at what could be done nationally and internationally to eliminate this questionable practice.

EU-OSHA report addresses exposure to biological agents in the workplace

A new report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) summarises the outcomes of a major project to address workplace exposure to biological agents and the related health effects. Although it was carried out prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project’s findings are relevant given the current global situation. The results cover sectors of concern, vulnerable groups, emerging risks and monitoring systems.

Report | Press release