Chemicals | Monthly bulletin | March 2026

Europe

Asbestos in toy products

During 2025 and 2026, consumer protection authorities identified multiple cases of toys containing asbestos fibres. The growing number of consumer product safety alerts issued in France, the United Kingdom, and other European countries prompted toy safety authorities and regulatory bodies to warn that asbestos may be present in various products, including sand toys, coloured play sand, craft sand, excavation and archaeology kits, craft kits containing plaster, and kinetic sand.

Asbestos is classified as a carcinogenic substance (Carc. 1A) under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008. As stated in Annex II, Part III, paragraph 3 of Directive 2009/48/EC,, and Annex II, Part III, paragraph 4(a) of Regulation (EU) 2025/2509, substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR) in categories 1A, 1B, or 2 under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 may not be used in toys, their components, or their microstructurally differentiated parts.

These findings have resulted in product recalls, suspension of sales, and the implementation of more rigorous safety controls throughout the toy supply chain.

The issue was initially detected in Australia and subsequently reported in several European countries.

For further details, please consult the relevant consumer product alert websites below:

• Guidance - Testing for asbestos in sand (UK)
• Alert about asbestos in some toys containing sand: answers to your questions (DGCCRF- France)
• Ministry of Health, Families, Autonomy and Persons with Disabilities - Health Crisis Centre (France)
• Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) (Australia and New Zealand)

EU officially adopts new Detergents Regulation

On the 2^nd of March 2026, the European Union officially published Regulation (EU) 2026/405, a sweeping update to the bloc’s legal framework governing detergents and surfactants. The new regulation repeals and replaces the long‑standing Regulation (EC) No 648/2004, introducing modernised rules aimed at improving safety, transparency, sustainability, and market consistency across the EU.

Key drivers behind the revision include:

• The emergence of detergents containing micro-organisms not fully covered under earlier rules.
• Growth of refill and re‑use sales models, now increasingly common in the European market.
• Expansion of online retail, which has made enforcement more challenging when no EU‑based manufacturer or importer exists.
• Opportunities for digital labelling and information-sharing, enabling clearer safety and usage information for consumers and authorities.

The legislation will enter into force on 22 March 2026, but its substantive obligations will apply from 23 September 2029, giving companies and national authorities more than three years to prepare for the transition.

REACH-EN-FORCE-14 entered its operational phase

Throughout 2026, the REACH-EN-FORCE-14 project (an EU-wide enforcement action) will be in its active phase. This focuses on verifying how well companies are classifying, labelling, and packaging hazardous mixtures under the CLP Regulation.

Across the EU, national inspectors will be looking at whether hazardous mixtures follow the CLP rules properly. They may also check if these mixtures meet the restrictions under REACH and the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) regulations.

These inspections will cover all kinds of products, but especially everyday consumer items that commonly contain hazardous mixtures and are easy to find on the market.

All the information gathered during the checks will be collected by ECHA and the Forum Working Group. They will put together a final report, expected in 2027, summarising their findings. Ultimately, the aim of these REF projects is to help improve enforcement across EU countries and boost compliance with REACH, CLP, and PIC regulations.

New restrictions for CMR substances moves toward adoption

On 6 February 2026, the feedback period for the European initiative “Chemicals – new rules on carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxic substances subject to restrictions” closed, and the proposal is now pending adoption by the European Commission.

This initiative put forward a draft aiming to update entries 28 and 30 of Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation, adding several substances that have recently received a harmonised CMR classification under the CLP Regulation.

The proposal also seeks to introduce:

1. Additivity rules, aligned with the EU implementation of the CLP Regulation; and
2. A derogation for dinitrogen oxide, concerning its placing on the market and use as a food additive.

For more information, consult the European Commission website here.

Recent publications on REACH Regulation

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

Interesting resources on REACH Regulation on the 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)
• ECHA's completed activities on restriction
• Submitted restrictions under consideration
• Assessment of regulatory needs list

Recent publications on CLP Regulation

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

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

• Registry of CLH intentions until outcome - ECHA (europa.eu)
• Harmonised classification and labelling consultations - ECHA (europa.eu)

EU proposes TBPH on Persistent Organic Pollutants

On the 4^th of February 2026, the European Commission unveiled a new proposal calling for the global listing of bis(2‑ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The initiative, published as COM(2026) 51 final, asks EU Member States to endorse the submission of a formal proposal to list TBPH in Annex A (elimination) or Annex B (restriction) of the Convention.

The initiative marks the first step in a review, expected to take several years before parties to the Stockholm Convention vote on whether to adopt the listing.

For more information, consult the European Commission website here.

Slovenia

Slovenia proposes new regulation to restrict hazardous CMR substances in childcare articles

On the 4^th of March 2026, Slovenia formally notified the European Commission of a draft regulation aimed at significantly tightening restrictions on carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances (CMR 1A/1B) in childcare articles. The measure is designed to close safety gaps ahead of a forthcoming harmonised EU‑wide restriction currently being prepared under REACH Article 68(2).

These items must not contain CMR 1A/1B substances in concentrations higher than 0.001% by weight in any homogeneous material. The proposed limits align with scientific findings from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which confirmed the presence of CMR chemicals in a range of everyday children’s products.

Until that unified measure is enacted, Slovenia aims to safeguard children through nationally enforced chemical limits, reducing potential health risks linked to long‑term exposure.

For more information, consult the 2026/0059/SI notification in the European Commission website here.

UK

First national PFAS plan in the UK

On 3 February 2026, the UK Government introduced its first comprehensive national strategy to confront the escalating environmental and public‑health concerns linked to per‑ and poly‑fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The announcement of this PFAS plan formed part of the revised Environmental Improvement Plan 2025.

The strategy is built around three core pillars that underpin the UK’s long‑term framework for PFAS management:

• Understanding PFAS sources
• Tackling PFAS pathways
• Reducing ongoing exposure

Together, these pillars form a coordinated set of regulatory and non‑regulatory actions that will be implemented progressively over the coming years.

UK introduces amendments to Mercury Regulation 

On the 1^st of December 2025, the UK Government formally enacted the Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1255), introducing targeted updates to the nation’s implementation of Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury.

The updates ensure that the UK continues meeting its legal obligations to limit the manufacture, import, and export of mercury‑containing products, addressing health and environmental risks posed by mercury exposure.

The statutory instrument is currently available in its original “as made” format, with accompanying resources accessible through Legislation.gov.uk website here.

International

World trade notifications related to chemicals 

The table below summarises recent World Trade notifications related to chemicals: