On January 23, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the 30th batch of 6 SVHCs because dibutyl phthalate (DBP) among the 6 substances was released on October 28, 2008. It was added to the official list of SVHC because of its reproductive toxicity and harm to human health as an endocrine disruptor, and this time it was added to SVHC because of its harm to the environment as an endocrine disruptor. Therefore, so far, SVHC Increased to 240 items.

SVHCs is the abbreviation of Substances of very high concern, that is, substances that may have serious and often irreversible effects on human health and the environment. If a substance is determined to be an SVHC, it will be added to the candidate list and eventually included in the authorization list (ANNEX XIV to REACH).

LCS suggestions (Tips):

ECHA aims to protect human health and the environment, is committed to the safe use of chemicals, and encourages industry to develop safer alternatives. ECHA is also responsible for enhancing the competitiveness of European chemicals, and constantly urges companies to comply with relevant regulatory requirements and fulfill relevant regulatory obligations.

REACH regulations stipulate that when the SVHC content in articles supplied on the EU market is greater than 0.1% by weight (w/w), information must be transmitted within the supply chain; when the SVHC content in articles is greater than 0.1% by weight (w/w) ) and the annual export volume is greater than 1 ton, it must be notified to ECHA.

According to the requirements of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), starting from January 5, 2021, products containing high concern on the candidate list with a concentration higher than 0.1% by weight (w/w) will be supplied on the EU market. Companies that use substances and articles must submit information about these items to ECHA in a database, that is, SCIP (Substances of Concern In articles as such or in complex objects (Products)) notifications. The SCIP notification does not require annual export volume to be greater than 1 ton.

The SVHC list is generally updated twice a year - once at the beginning of the year and once in the middle of the year. The SVHC list includes more and more substances - currently there are 240 official substances. Currently, companies are facing more and more strict controls. It is recommended that companies exporting products to Europe conduct supply chain inspections and supervision to reduce their own risks and become more competitive in the market.

Regulatory content
register
Manufacturers and importers must apply for registration of any chemical that reaches the threshold of one ton per year, whether the chemical exists by itself as a chemical substance, as part of a mixture, or as a substance or mixture released from an article. Since only individuals in the EU or companies established in the EU can submit REACH registration, if a non-EU company wants to register a chemical substance, it needs to appoint an only representative (OR) to perform it on its behalf. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is responsible for evaluating the information submitted for registration.

limit
Each restricted substance has different conditions and scope of restrictions. For example, a hazardous substance itself may be banned from being placed on the EU market, or products containing that substance in certain concentrations may be banned. Appendix XVII is the list of restricted substances, which will be updated regularly.

Authorize
The purpose of authorization is to eliminate or effectively control the risks posed by chemicals, in particular chemicals that are harmful to human health or the environment. This process is divided into two main stages, each requiring certain obligations from different stakeholders in the supply chain:

A substance has been identified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) and placed on the Candidate List. If an SVHC contains more than 0.1% by weight, this information is immediately transmitted to the recipient of the item in the supply chain. Consumers can also request this information from retailers, which must be provided within 45 days. If SVHC exceeds 0.1% of the weight of the article and exceeds 1 ton/year, ECHA must be notified. The shortlist is updated twice a year.

Substances listed on the candidate list will be prioritized for inclusion in the authorization list (Appendix XIV). Unless authorization has been granted, SVHCs on the authorization list cannot be used or imported into the EU after a specified date (known as the sunset date). Authorization only applies to those chemical substances used in the EU and/or imported into the EU, as well as items manufactured in the EU. However, it does not apply to items imported into the EU. This authorization list is updated approximately annually.

All products manufactured in or imported into the EU must comply with all applicable REACH requirements. It is important to remember that compliance with one requirement does not grant exemption from other requirements. For example, in addition to complying with requirements related to the candidate list, a product may also need to comply with certain restricted requirements.