Mar. 4 EU:New public consultation launched on 10 potential SVHCs

This notice is brought to you by the ECHA.

ECHA is seeking comments on 10 substances proposed to be included in the Candidate List. The consultation will be open for 45 days and will end on 18 April 2013.

ECHA has published new proposals to identify a further 10 chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHCs). Several of the proposals in the current consultation are based on more than one SVHC property. For the first time, substances are proposed to be identified as SVHCs based on their specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure.

One substance is proposed to be identified as being of an equivalent level of concern for the environment due to the endocrine disrupting properties of the degradation products.

Of the five substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR), two are proposed to be additionally identified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT). Another two are proposed to be additionally identified as giving rise to an equivalent level of concern to CMR properties, due to their adverse effects on kidney and bone.

Four substances are proposed to be identified as being very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB). In particular, UV-320 and UV-328 are also proposed to be identified as PBT and their toxicity (T) data are considered to fulfil the classification criteria ‘specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure, category 1 or 2′ (STOT RE 1/2). However, as there is currently no harmonised classification for STOT RE 1/2 in place for UV-320 and UV-328, comments on the toxicity of these two substances will be considered in the SVHC identification process steps following the consultation. ECHA intends to involve the Committee for Risk Assessment in the evaluation of this toxicity endpoint.

For more information and the full notice please refer to the link above.