Chemicals | Monthly bulletin | March 2022
17th meeting of the POPs review committee
At the end of January 2022, the 17th meeting of the persistent organic pollutants POPs review committee took place. Methoxychlor was recommended to be listed in Annex A to the Stockholm Convention for 2023.
The Committee also considered the risk profiles of the following substances, which will now be moved to the risk management evaluation:
- UV-328 (UV-stabiliser and plastic additive)
- Dechlorane Plus (flame retardant)
Three new proposals meet the screening criteria for POPs and will move forward to the risk profile stage for more assessment:
- chlorpyrifos, submitted by the European Union;
- chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths C14-17 and
≥45 % chlorine by weight (MCCP), submitted by the UK; and - long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCA), their salts and related compounds, submitted by Canada.
Proposal to amend Annexes IV and V of POP Regulation
On 17th January 2021, the European Commission published the following proposal:
This Proposal amends the annexes IV and V that deal with waste in the Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (the POPs Regulation). These annexes set limits for persistent organic pollutants in waste and determine how waste that contains POP substances should be managed in the EU.
The proposed amendment proposes to list and introduce limits for some substances and to lower the existing limits for other substances already listed. The table below provides a summary of these:
|
Preferred option for Annex IV limits |
|
|
Substances |
value |
|
PBDEs |
Initial implementation of 500 mg/kg, followed by reduction to 200 mg/kg 5 years after entry into application of initial limit. |
|
HBCDD |
500 mg/kg |
|
PCDD/PCDFs (dioxins and furans) Dioxin-like PCBs |
5 µg/kg |
|
Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) |
1 500 mg/kg |
|
PFOA, its salts and related compounds |
1 mg/kg (PFOA and its salts), 40 mg/kg (PFOA-related compounds) |
|
Pentachlorophenol (PCP), its salts and esters |
100 mg/kg |
|
Dicofol |
50 mg/kg |
|
Proposed Annex V limit values |
|
|
Substances |
Value |
|
dl-PCBs |
5 mg/Kg |
|
PBDEs (including decaBDE) |
10 000 mg/kg |
|
PFOA, its salts and related compounds |
50 mg/kg for PFOA and salts 2 000 mg/kg for PFOA-related substances |
|
Pentachlorophenol (PCP) |
1 000 mg/kg |
|
Dicofol |
5 000 mg/kg |
Recent updates regarding REACH
The below table gives a summary of some recent updates (non-exhaustive) regarding REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006:
|
Summary of the Most Recent Updates |
||
|
Date |
Subject |
Link |
|
20/01/2022 |
The European Commission launched a public consultation on the revision of REACH. The aim is to align with the European chemical strategy for sustainability. |
For more information, consult the European commission website here. |
|
02/02/2022 |
The ECHA proposed 8 substances of very high concern in the REACH authorisation list (Annex XIV). Comments can be given until 2nd May 2022. |
For more information, consult the ECHA website here. |
Other interesting links about REACH from ECHA’s website
- Registry of restriction intentions until outcome - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Substance evaluation - CoRAP - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Adopted opinions and previous consultations on applications for authorisation - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Applications for authorisation - current consultations - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Current calls for comments and evidence - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Authorisation List - ECHA (europa.eu)
Other interesting links about CLP from ECHA’s website
- Registry of CLH intentions until outcome - ECHA (europa.eu)
- Harmonised classification and labelling consultations - ECHA (europa.eu)
Results of the annual control of chemicals, biocides and detergents
On 21st January 2021, the Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes (DGCCRF) published its annual control plan for chemicals, biocides and detergents 2020.
The annual control plan had to be adapted during 2020 to take into account the situation with COVID-19. The main products checked in 2020 were therefore hydro-alcoholic gels and solutions, disinfectants and detergents. The rate of non-compliance noted on the hydro-alcoholic gels and solutions sampled was particularly high.
Other frequently encountered anomalies concern non-compliance with the hazard labeling measures provided for by the CLP regulation.
To read the official publication, consult the DGCCRF website here.
RoHS updates concerning mercury, lead compounds, barium and phthalates
Statutory Instrument No 1395 of 2021 introduces the following changes to Statutory Instrument No 1647 of 2020 related to the RoHS regulations.
These Regulations amend Schedules A1 and A2 to the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (“the RoHS Regulations”) as they apply in England, Wales and Scotland.
|
Changes |
Dates |
|
Renews the exemption for mercury to be used in electric rotating connectors used in ultrasound imaging systems |
Until 30 June 2026 |
|
Grants a new exemption for lead compounds and barium to be used in certain civil explosive applications |
This exemption expires on 20 April 2026 |
|
Removes paragraphs (a) and (b) from Schedule A1, introduced in S.I. 1647 of 2020 |
From 1st July 2022 |
|
Extends the restriction on the use of four restricted substances (Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)) to medical devices and monitoring and control instruments. |
For a period ending on 30th June 2026. |
Recent updates regarding UK REACH and GB CLP
The below table gives a summary of the most recent updates (non-exhaustive) regarding UK REACH and GB CLP:
|
Summary of the Most Recent Updates |
||
|
Date |
Subject |
Link |
|
04/02/2022 |
Updating the GB mandatory classification and labelling list (GB MCL List) |
HSE GB CLP publication table can be consulted here. |
New state laws banning PFAS in food packaging
In the last few years, many states have signed bills to ban PFAS in food packaging. The table below provides an update on recent bills and laws:
|
State |
Date |
Bill/Law |
Requirement |
Effective date |
|
California |
05/10/2021 |
Limit: 100ppm |
01/01/2023 |
|
|
Connecticut |
13/07/2021 |
Limit: Prohibited if intentionally introduced |
31/12/2023 |
|
|
New York |
20/07/2020 |
Limit: Prohibited Applicable to a package or packaging component that is intended for direct food contact and is comprised, to a substantial degree, of paper, paperboard, or other materials originally derived from plant fiber. |
31/12/2022 |
|
|
Minnesota |
29/06/2021 |
Limit: Prohibited |
01/01/2024 |
|
|
Vermont |
18/05/2021 |
Limit: Prohibited (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA),Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)) |
01/07/2023 |
|
|
State of Washington |
07/06/2018 |
Limit: Prohibited Applicable to Wraps and liners, Plates, Plates, Pizza boxes |
February 2023 |
