Chemicals | Monthly bulletin | February 2026

Eurofins newsflash Chemical

Europe

New update to Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs)

On the 4^th of February 2026, the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) released the new Candidate List of SVHCs with the addition of two new substances. The current list of SVHCs now contains 253 substances.

ECHA takes on expanded role to strengthen chemical safety across Europe

On the 5^th of January 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced a series of new responsibilities under the European Union’s One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA) legislative package.

The OSOA initiative aims to ensure that the same chemical substance is assessed in a coordinated and consistent way across different EU regulatory frameworks.

One of the tasks is the development and management of a common EU data platform on chemicals. The platform will include several key services, such as:

A chemical monitoring information platform and repository of reference values
A study notifications database with harmonised terminologies
Databases covering regulatory processes, legal obligations, and chemicals in products
Information on alternatives to substances of concern and sustainability-related data.

Beyond data management, ECHA will also take on a number of scientific and regulatory responsibilities previously handled by other authorities such as preparing restriction proposals and handling exemption requests under the RoHS Directive, as well as setting and reviewing limit values for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste under the POPs Regulation.

In addition, ECHA will update guidance on benefit–risk assessments of hazardous substances used in medical devices, reinforcing consistency across sectors where chemical safety intersects with health protection.

EU Council adopts first-reading position on new detergents and surfactants regulation

On the 22^nd of December 2025, the Council of the European Union published its Statement of Reasons accompanying Position (EU) No 16/2025 at first reading on the proposed regulation on detergents and surfactants. The document, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, explains the rationale behind the Council’s approach to replacing Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 with a modernised framework aligned with current EU chemicals, sustainability, and internal market policies.

The proposal, originally submitted by the European Commission in April 2023, aims to harmonise rules for detergents and surfactants across the EU while addressing regulatory gaps identified during the evaluation of the existing legislation.

With the Council’s position and accompanying statement of reasons now formally published, the legislative file moves forward to the European Parliament for the next stage of the ordinary legislative procedure. If adopted, the new Regulation would establish a harmonised and future‑proof framework for detergents and surfactants across the EU, while complementing existing legislation such as REACH, CLP, and the Biocidal Products Regulation.

On the 22^nd of January 2026, the revised rules were approved by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), following a provisional agreement reached with the Council in June 2025. Once in force, the new framework is expected to reduce the environmental footprint of detergents, improve consumer safety, and enhance transparency throughout the product lifecycle. The vote concludes the decision-making process. The rules will enter into force 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal and apply three and a half years later.

The full Statement of the Council’s reasons and its position are available via the EUR‑Lex portal in all official EU languages.

Omnibus VI - Simplification of regulations on chemical products

The sixth omnibus package aims to simplify EU chemical legislation by decreasing compliance costs and administrative procedures for businesses across the chemical value chain, while maintaining a high level of protection.

On the 5^th of November, the Council of the European Union approved a series of legislative updates designed to streamline chemical regulations, reduce compliance costs, and strengthen the competitiveness of the EU chemical sector. The adopted initiatives include:

Postponement of CLP Regulation: new classification, labelling, and packaging requirements will now apply from the 1^st of January 2028, giving businesses more time to adapt.
One Substance, One Assessment (OSOA): a framework to harmonise chemical safety evaluations, improve data sharing, and accelerate innovation in sustainable chemicals.
Detergents regulation update: enhancements to biodegradability standards and a ban on animal testing, agreed in June 2025.
Digital labelling for fertilising products: promoting transparency and reducing environmental impact through digital solutions.

On the 17^th of November 2025, the Council of the European Union officially adopted a mechanism delaying the implementation of key provisions in the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation until the 1^st of January 2028. The postponed provisions include requirements for:

Relabelling and mandatory formatting
Advertisements and online/distance sales
Labelling of fuel pumps

The legislative act, Regulation (EU) 2025/2439, was published in the EU Official Journal on the 3^rd of December 2025 and enter into force on the 23^rd of December 2025.

Publications on European Commission initiatives

The table below summarises recent publications on European Commission initiatives related to Chemicals

Date

Title

09/01/2026

Chemicals – new rules on carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxic substances subject to restrictions

Entries 28, 29, and 30 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 prohibit the placing on the market and the use, for supply to the general public, of substances classified as carcinogenic, germ cell mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR) category 1A or 1B, as set out in Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. This prohibition applies to substances listed in Appendices 1 to 6 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, as well as to mixtures containing such substances above specified concentration limits.

The present initiative proposes amendments to these entries of Annex XVII. The feedback period is open until 6 February 2026.

Recent publications on REACH Regulation

The following table provides a non-exhaustive summary of some recent updates regarding REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006:

Summary of the most recent updates
Date	Subject	Link
17/12/2026	Highlights from December RAC and SEAC meetings about Universal PFAS restriction proposal.	For more information, consult the ECHA website here.
07/01/2026	Under the new Toy Safety Regulation, which entered into force on 1 January, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is entrusted with the assessment of chemical safety in toys. In addition, ECHA is responsible for processing companies’ requests for derogations permitting the use of otherwise prohibited substances and for providing scientific opinions through its expert committees.	For more information, consult the ECHA website here.
07/01/2026	As part of the activities of the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has commissioned a study entitled “Nanomaterials Used as or Integrated into Flame Retardants.”	For more information, consult the EUON website here.

Interesting resources on REACH Regulation on the ECHA’s website

Recent publications on CLP Regulation

The following table provides a non-exhaustive summary of some recent updates regarding CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008:

Summary of the most recent updates

Date

Subject

Link

10/12/2025

Notice concerning the harmonised classification of titanium dioxide as Carcinogenic Category 2 via inhalation according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

For more information, consult the European Commission publication here.

Interesting resources on the CLP Regulation on the ECHA’s website

Switzerland

Swiss poison centre releases notification obligation requirements for hazardous mixtures

From the 1^st January 2026, all hazardous mixtures placed on the Swiss market must be notified to the Swiss authorities before placing on the market. This obligation applies to manufacturers, importers, and non‑Swiss suppliers acting via a Swiss representative. Switzerland’s poison centre notification requirements are established under Article 48 of the Swiss Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO).

The notification obligation applies to mixtures classified for Human health hazards, Physical hazards and Environmental hazards. Mixtures classified exclusively as hazardous to the environment are also within the scope of the obligation. For such mixtures, annual quantity bands must be included in the notification.

The key Swiss Poison Centre Notifications (Swiss PCN / RPC) requirements must be the following information:

Full mixture composition, aligned with the level of detail required under Annex VIII.
A Swiss‑specific Unique Formula Identifier (UFI).
Product identifiers and intended use(s).
User category (consumer, professional, or industrial).
Classification and labelling information.
Annual quantity bands (mandatory for mixtures classified as hazardous to the environment).
Market withdrawal date, where applicable.

Swiss Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) Requirements are:

A UFI is mandatory for all hazardous mixtures.
UFIs must comply with Swiss-specific regulatory requirements.
EU-generated UFIs may be reused for mixtures placed on both the EU and Swiss markets.
Swiss-generated UFIs are not valid for EU Poison Centre Notification submissions.

For more information, please consult the Autorités Fédérales website here.

Türkiye

Update on import inspections for chemicals

On the 20th of January 2026, the Turkish Ministry of trade published several communications which affect the import of consumer products. For chemicals, the notice Product Safety and Inspection: 2026/6 prohibits or controls the import of certain ozone-depleting substances, fluorinated greenhouse gases, and other chemicals whose marketing is prohibited or restricted by the relevant legislation of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, for environmental protection reasons.

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change oversees the control of these restricted or controlled chemicals and, if it deems it appropriate, permits their import for the exceptional uses specified in the notice.

Oregon expands reporting requirements under toxic-free kids act

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Public Health Division has expanded reporting obligations for children’s products under the state’s Toxic-Free Kids Act (TFKA), introducing new compliance requirements for manufacturers selling into Oregon.

These changes arise from legislation enacted in 2023 (House Bill 3043, Section 4), which revises how manufacturers must disclose the presence of High Priority Chemicals of Concern for Children’s Health (HPCCCHs). Under the updated rules, chemical disclosures must now be submitted at the brand name and product model (BNPM) level, significantly increasing the level of detail compared with prior reporting cycles.

Manufacturers are required to report any HPCCCHs present at or above de minimis thresholds in any component of a children’s product sold or offered for sale in Oregon during calendar years 2024 or 2025. Reports must be submitted by January 31^st, 2026, using Oregon’s High Priority Chemicals Data System (HPCDS).

Previously, TFKA reporting was conducted using broader product category groupings. Oregon’s updated rules also specify additional data elements that must be included to meet TFKA compliance requirements.

California Proposition 65: OEHHA information letter – Guidance on warnings for receipts and shipping labels containing BPS

On December 8^th, 2025, the California OEHHA issued a letter to explain that Prop 65 safe harbor warnings apply to items that accompany the purchase of consumer goods, such as receipts, labels, tags, product stickers, shipping materials, packaging, and instructions/manuals, whether the purchase is made in person or online.

A business is free to inform consumers that a particular warning is being given for a receipt or label, rather than an exposure caused by the product itself. However, OEHHA encourages such information to notify consumers about the source of the exposure.

OEHHA also notes that if paper with BPS is used, the warning cannot be on the receipt itself as the warning must be given before an exposure occurs.

Businesses concerned about BPS exposures from product receipts and shipping labels must consider not only consumer product exposures, but also occupational exposures to any workers handling the receipts or labels.

California Proposition 65: OEHHA information letter – Guidance on evaluating vinyl acetate exposures from consumer products

On December 23^rd, 2025, the California OEHHA issued a guidance letter on evaluating vinyl acetate exposures from consumer products. The warning requirement for the chemical was set to take effect on January 3^rd, 2026.

Vinyl acetate is mainly used in the production of polymers and copolymers, such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetals, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, polyvinyl chloride-acetate copolymers, and vinyl acetate-vinyl laurate copolymers. These various polymers and copolymers described above were not added to the Proposition 65 list.

The mere presence of a vinyl acetate–based polymer or copolymer in a consumer product does not, on its own, demonstrate potential exposure to vinyl acetate. Exposure assessments should focus on the amount of vinyl acetate that may be released from the product during normal use or other reasonably foreseeable situations in which people could come into contact with it. Accordingly, testing methods should measure vinyl acetate that is actually present or emitted under real-world conditions, rather than relying on results obtained by dissolving vinyl acetate–containing polymers in ways that would not occur during the product’s normal purchase, use, storage, maintenance, or repair.

New Jersey enacts “Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act” targeting PFAS in consumer products

Effective January 12, 2028, New Jersey has enacted comprehensive legislation (Senate Bill 1042, now law) that significantly restricts the use of intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in selected consumer product categories.

What the law does

Prohibits sales of PFAS-containing products: The sale, offer for sale, or distribution of products with PFAS intentionally added is banned in several categories, including:

Cosmetics containing intentionally added PFAS
Carpet and fabric treatments treated with PFAS
Food packaging made with added PFAS

These prohibitions take effect on January 12^th, 2028.

Cookware labelling requirement:

Instead of an outright ban, manufacturers of consumer-grade cookware containing intentionally added PFAS must include a clear label stating “This product contains PFAS” (in both English and Spanish). The labelling requirement also applies to online product listings; small cookware items without sufficient label space may be exempt.

PFAS definition and scope:

“PFAS” is broadly defined to include any fluorinated organic chemical with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom, consistent with other U.S. state standards.

Canada

Canada updates the Prohibition Certain Toxic Substances — PFAS and flame retardants targeted

Canada has published and finalised the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2025 (SOR/2025-270), which will repeal and replace the earlier 2012 federal prohibition framework under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The updated regulation takes effect on June 30^th, 2026 and introduces strengthened controls on a suite of persistent, bioaccumulative toxic substances and products containing them.

Expanded prohibitions & scope

Stricter PFAS controls: the revised regulation tightens restrictions on perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs), and related precursors. Previously permitted exemptions for certain products and uses have been removed or narrowed, including personal use items and earlier limited AFFF exemptions.
New flame retardant bans: two additional high-concern flame retardants — Dechlorane Plus (DP) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) — and products containing them are now subject to prohibition.
Products covered: the regulations apply not only to the listed substances themselves but also to products that contain them, broadening the compliance scope beyond chemical inventories to finished and semi-finished goods.

Time-limited exemptions & permits

Recognising ongoing industrial needs and transition challenges, the 2025 Regulations include time-limited “authorised activities” (exemptions) for certain sectors such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and others, allowing continued manufacture, use, or import for specified durations. Where no specific exemption is provided, regulated parties may apply for temporary permits (valid up to 1 year and renewable up to two times) to continue activities while alternatives are adopted.

Removal of old exemptions

A number of long-standing exemptions from the 2012 Regulations (e.g. photoresists, certain firefighting foams, and personal use products containing PFAS and legacy flame retardants) have been repealed or substantially modified. This means manufacturers, importers and users must reassess whether previously permitted products are now restricted.