Eight New Chemicals for REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern
(22.06.2010)
On June 18, 2010, ECHA announced the addition of 8 new substances to their SVHC candidate list. These chemicals have been determined to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic. Companies that produce or distribute these chemicals in EU member states much check for their immediate obligations.
Background: The identification of a substance as Substance of Very High Concern and its inclusion in the Candidate List is the first step of the authorisation procedure. Companies may have immediate legal obligations following such inclusion which are linked to the listed substance on its own, in preparations and articles.
New additions to the SVHC list: The following 8 compounds have been added to the SVHC list:
Substance Name
EC Number
CAS Number
Reason for Proposal
Potential Uses
Trichloroethylen
201-167-4
79-01-6
carcinogen, category 2
Itermediate in the manufacture of chlorinated and fluorinated organic compounds. Cleaning and degreasing of metal parts or as solvent in adhesives
Boric acid
233-139-2 234-343-4
10043-35-3 11113-50-1
toxic for reproduction, category 2
Boric acid is widely used onaccount of its consistency-influencing, flame-retarding, antiseptic and preservative properties. It is a component of detergents and cleaners, adhesives, toys, industrial fluids, brake fluids, glass, ceramics, flame retarders, paints, desinfectants, cosmetics, food additives, fertilizers, insecticides and other products.
Disodium tetraborate, anhydrous
Tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate
215-540-4
235-541-3
1303-96-4 1330-43-4 12179-04-3
12267-73-1
toxic for reproduction,
category 2
Disodium tetraborate and tetraboron disodium heptaoxide form the same compounds in aqueous solutions. Uses include a multitude of applications e.g. in detergents and cleaners, in glass and glass fibres, ceramics, industrial fluids, metallurgy, adhesives, flame retardants, personal care products, biocides, fertilizers.
Sodium chromate
231-889-5
7775-11-3
carcinogen, category 2 toxic for reproduction, category 2
Sodium chromate is mainly used as an intermediate in the manufacture of other chromium compounds as well as a laboratory analytical agent, but this use is limited. Other potential uses are mentioned in the literature but whether they occur in the EU is not clear.
Potassium chromate
232-140-5
7789-00-6
carcinogen, category 2 mutagen, category 2
Potassium dichromate is used as a corrosion inhibitor for treatment and coating of metals, for manufacture of reagents, chemicals and textiles, as a coloring agent in ceramics, in the manufacture of pigments and in the laboratory as analytical agent.
Ammonium dichromate is mainly used as an oxidising agent. Other uses are in the manufacture of photosensitive screens and as mordant in the manufacture of textiles. Minor uses seem to compromise metal treatment and laboratiory analytical agent.
Potassium dichromate is used for chrome metal manufacturing and as corrosion inhibitor for vtreatment and coating of metals. It is further used as textile mordant, as laboratory analytical agent, for cleaning of laboratory glassware, in the manufacture of other reagents and as oxidising agent in photolithography.
This announcement brings the total number of substances to 38, on this
SVHC list. Chemicals on this list will undergo a review to determine if
they will be included on the authorization list.