EU REACH – ECHA adds one hazardous chemical to the Candidate List

Vol. 1409 | 27 Jun 2024

On June 27, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) Candidate List by adding a new substance: bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide. This chemical, known for its toxicity to reproduction, serves various industrial purposes, including use as a processing aid and flame retardant.

Additionally, bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide functions as a process regulator in vulcanization and polymerization processes. With this latest addition, the SVHC Candidate List now comprises 241 entries, each representing chemicals potentially harmful to human health or the environment.

Substance Name	EC Number	CAS Number	Reason for Inclusion	Examples of Use
Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide	201-279-3	80-43-3	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c)	Flame retardant

Consequences of inclusion on the Candidate List

Under REACH, companies have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List.

If an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1 % (weight by weight), suppliers have to give their customers and consumers information on how to use it safely. Consumers have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Importers and producers of articles have to notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months from the date it has been included in the list (27 June 2024).

EU and EEA suppliers of substances on the Candidate List, supplied either on their own or in mixtures, have to update the safety data sheet they provide to their customers.

Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies also have to notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is published in ECHA’s database of substances of concern in products (SCIP).

You can access the notification by ECHA on their website, or you can view the full candidate list of SVHCs.

If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Kathy Leung or Dr. Ben Cheng