The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added three new hazardous chemicals to its Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs), bringing the total to 250 entries.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced the addition of three new substances to its Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs), bringing the total number of entries to 250. This move triggers immediate legal obligations for companies across various sectors, demanding greater transparency and risk management for chemicals that pose threats to human health and the environment.
The newly included substances are:
1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyl-3-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]trisiloxane –
• Very persistent and very bio-accumulative
• Used as a laboratory reagent, in cosmetics and personal care products and perfumes and fragrances
Decamethyltetrasiloxane –
• Very persistent and very bioaccumulative
• Used in cosmetics and personal care products, in lubricants and greases and in automotive care products
Tetra(sodium/potassium) 7-[(E)-{2-acetamido-4-[(E)-(4-{[4-chloro-6-({2-[(4-fluoro-6-{[4-(vinylsulfonyl)phenyl]amino}-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl)amino]propyl}amino)-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl]amino}-5-sulfonato-1-naphthyl)diazenyl]-5-methoxyphenyl}diazenyl]-1,3,6-naphthalenetrisulfonate; Reactive Brown 51 –
• Toxic for reproduction
• Used in textile treatment products and dyes
The expansion of the Candidate List to 250 entries, with some entries covering groups of chemicals, signifies a broader impact on industries. Companies are now legally obligated under the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation to manage the risks associated with these chemicals.
Key obligations for companies include providing information on safe use to customers and consumers if an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1% (weight by weight). Consumers also have the right to request this information from suppliers. Furthermore, importers and producers of articles containing these substances must notify ECHA within six months of their inclusion (by December 25, 2025), provided the concentration exceeds 0.1% and the total quantity per producer or importer per year is over one tonne.
Suppliers of the listed substances, whether on their own or in mixtures, are also required to update the safety data sheets they provide to their customers. Beyond REACH, the Waste Framework Directive mandates companies to notify ECHA if their produced articles contain SVHCs above 0.1%, with this information being published in ECHA’s Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database to facilitate better waste management.
Moreover, products containing SVHCs are now ineligible for the EU Ecolabel award. The inclusion of these substances in the Candidate List also serves as a precursor for potential future placement on the Authorisation List. If a substance moves to the Authorisation List, its use will be prohibited unless companies obtain explicit authorization from the European Commission.
