REACH: the second list of ‘very harmful’ chemicals is proposed

The European Chemicals Agency have published a list of proposed new chemicals to be added to the REACH list of Substances of Very High Concern.

On the 1st September, the ECHA released the list of 15 new chemicals to be added to the REACH list of Substances of Very High Concern. The chemicals comprise substances that negatively affect human health (carcinogenic, mutagenic, and/or reprotoxic, or CMR) and that negatively affect the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB)). The majority of these compounds are also on the Substitute It Now! (SIN) list compiled by the International Chemical Secretariat and the Trade Union Priority list compiled by the European Trade Union Confederation.

The number of proposals contrasts with the number of chemicals already known to fulfill the criteria of very high concern.

Last updated on 10 June 2011