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The European Commission has requested ECHA (European Chemicals Agency; Helsinki; Finland; echa.europa.eu) to prepare Annex XV dossiers for 37 substances on their behalf. Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have also put forward proposals for the identification of 17 substances.
Among the substances, 44 are proposed to be identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) on the basis of their classifications as carcinogenic, mutagenic and/or toxic for reproduction. One of these substances is also suggested as being of equivalent concern.
Five further substances are proposed to be of equivalent concern. In particular, three of those are respiratory sensitizers and proposed to be of equivalent level of concern for human health. Two further proposals comprise substances proposed to be of equivalent concern for the environment due to endocrine disrupting properties or because they are degrading to the already identified endocrine disruptor (1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol.
Finally, five substances are proposed to be identified as being persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and/or very bioaccumulative (vPvB).
Comments should provide information concerning the identity of the substances or on their PBT/vPvB or “equivalent concern” properties. The Member State Committee will take comments into account when seeking agreement on the identification of all proposed substances as SVHCs. No account, however, will be taken by the Committee of comments on CMR properties where harmonized classification is laid down in Annex VI of the regulation on classification, labeling and packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures.
ECHA is also seeking submission of information on the uses of the substances. This would include data on tonnages per use and exposures or releases resulting from these uses. Information on safer alternative substances and techniques, as well as the structure of supply chains, is also welcome.