The ECHA (European Chemical Agency) Member State Committee has unanimously agreed on that the 15 Substances of Very High Concern nominated all should be included on the Candidate List of substances that may require authorisation under REACH.

ECHA is expected to formally adopt the decision and publish the 15 substances on the Candidate List in January, bringing the total number of substances on the Candidate List to 30. Eight of the nominations came from Germany.

The latest update includes substances such as DIBP , a plasticiser commonly used in plastics, lacquers and nail polish, and TCEP, a flame retardant found in paints, furniture and textile.

The 15 substances include five forms of the Polyaromatic hydrocarbon anthracene, which is used to make rubber products. All are considered to be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. The others are:

-          High temperature coal tar pitch
-          Acrylamide
-          2,4-Dinitrotoluene
-          Lead chromate molybdate sulphate red
-          Lead sulphochromate yellow
-          Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate
-          Diisobutyl phthalate
-          Aluminosilicate Refractory Ceramic Fibres
-          Zirconia Aluminosilicate, Refractory Ceramic Fibres
-          Lead chromate

12 of the 15 substances to be included on the Candidate List are also SIN List substances while three of them (High temperature coal tar pitch and refractory ceramic fibres of Aluminosilicate and Zirconia Aluminosilicate) can not be found on the SIN List. Two of the three are lacking a unique CAS and EC registry number, and one belong to the hydrocarbon fuel stream group of Annex 1. For more information regarding the selection and identification of substances, please see the SIN List methodology.

ECHA Press release

SIN List methodology