First REACH hazardous chemicals identified

Greenpeace and WWF welcome the fact that the engine for substituting the most hazardous chemicals under REACH has finally started and that the first group of substances has been identified. However, the candidate list is still extremely short compared to the hundreds of known hazardous chemicals in use (let alone the myriad other commercial chemicals that remain largely untested). This problem will need to be addressed if the EU is to take seriously its responsibilities to ensure a high level of protection for the environment and human health.

Once the candidate list is officially published, companies will be obliged to inform consumers within 45 days whether such chemicals are present in the products on sale in the EU common market. Faced with this requirement and impending regulation, it is in companies’ own interests that they start replacing them with safer alternatives. Importantly, a brominated flame retardant commonly found in house dust, in wildlife and the wider environment, as well as being detectable in human blood (HBCDD), and three plastic softeners (the phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP) are among the chemicals listed.

Greenpeace and WWF now call on member states to take the initiative and place other known hazardous chemicals on the candidate list as soon as possible so that the momentum of this decision is not lost. The 267 hazardous chemicals selected by ChemSec for the REACH SIN (Substitute-it-now) List 1.0 are a useful starting point in identifying further chemicals of concern (www.sinlist.org).