Intertek Provides an Immediate Compliance Solution for the 13 New Substances of Very High Concern
26 Jun 2012
Ottawa, Canada - Intertek (www.intertek.com), the leading provider of quality and safety services to a wide range of industries, has promptly expanded its REACH services portfolio by providing an immediate solution to meet the additional requirement for disclosing the presence of 13 new REACH Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). The latest SVHC list (Candidate List) has recently been expanded to include a total of 84 SVHCs.
An SVHC is a chemical substance that is subject to requirements under the REACH (Registration Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals) Regulation in the European Union. On June 18, 2012, the ECHA Member State committee voted unanimously to add 13 additional substances to the SVHC Candidate List, for a total of 84 substances. Compliance is required immediately. The expansion of the SVHC list is part of a long term European Union (EU) strategy to regulate and limit the use of hazardous substances.
Once a substance is added to the SVHC Candidate List, REACH imposes immediate obligations on manufacturers and importers to disclose the presence of these substances in their products. The regulation mandates that manufacturers and importers of articles are required to notify their customers and users on the presence of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in any of their products when exceeding 0.1% by weight and provide instructions on safe use of the product.
Intertek offers SVHC testing and assessment services to assist companies with determining the possible presence or, when present, the concentration of SVHC substances in their products. If a product is determined to contain any SVHCs, Intertek can provide risk assessments to identify in which assembly, component or material the SVHC is present, identify other products that have a risk of containing the SVHC, support a material replacement strategy, and prepare REACH disclosure documentation and safe use instructions to fulfil the REACH requirements. Each of these solutions will assure that a company’s business will not be interrupted in the EU.
Intertek also offers an industry-leading ‘wide scan’ testing approach which includes data and sample storage. If a future substance is added to the SVHC list, which can occur in as little as three (3) months, Intertek can review the ‘wide-scan’ data to provide a level of confidence on the presence of the newly added SVHC in the original test sample. By using ‘wide-scan’ testing with data storage and review, Intertek customers reach a level of confidence to being able to assess whether SVHC substances are possibly present without unnecessarily re-testing products.
“Intertek is geared up to promptly support expanded REACH requirements via our global laboratory and specialist network” states Dr. Ruud Overbeek, Vice President of Intertek’s Global Health, Environmental, and Regulatory Services business. “This assures our customers will have immediate solutions available wherever needed to comply with these added EU regulatory requirements.”
For additional information about Intertek’s REACH SVHC services, please contact our global REACH experts directly at reach@intertek.com or visit: www.intertek.com/reach/svhc.
For further information, please contact:
Joel Pekay
Sales and Marketing Director
Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals
Telephone: +1 312 906 7716
Email: joel.pekay@intertek.com
About Intertek
Intertek (ITRK.L) is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers' products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace. Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to support its customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 30,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world. Visit www.intertek.com
About Intertek Health & Environmental Services (www.intertek.com/green)
Intertek Health & Environment Services offers complete solutions addressing global, regional, and local compliance and chemical safety. We develop sound traceability systems and help with implementation of company specific policies. Our comprehensive health and environmental solutions cover Restricted Substances, REACH, California Proposition 65, Global Chemical Notification, Food Safety, environmental claims, and Sustainability and Greenhouse Gas management. Services include strategy consulting, regulatory and product safety consulting, testing and analysis, legal representation, certification, supply chain management, scientific research, and corporate education appropriate for all types and levels of business.