Eurofins | Newsflash - February 2018 | Chemicals

Europe - REACH

Restriction Proposal for Oxo-plastics and Microplastics

Following its plastics strategy, made public on January 2018, the European Commission has requested the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to prepare proposals for restriction concerning oxo-degradable plastics and intentionally added microplastic particles due to their potential risk to the environment and human health

With this aim, in spring 2018, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will be launching calls for evidence to compile relevant information from stakeholders to assist with the risk and socio-economic assessment of oxo-plastics and intentionally added microplastics.

More information about this topic can be found in ECHA’s website here

Europe - REACH

Proposal to Restrict C9-C14 Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (PFCAs), their Salts and Related Substances

The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI ) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a proposal to restrict C9-C14 PFCAs (PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA), their salts and precursors.

These substances, due to their repellent properties (water, grease, dirt), are used in many products such as food packaging, kitchenware, textiles, detergents and cosmetics. However, their hazard profile is well known and they are very likely to cause severe and irreversible adverse effects to the environment and to human health if their releases are not minimized

ECHA’s public consultation on Annex XV report started on 20 December 2017 and final deadline for comments on this restriction report will be 20 June 2018.
ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) are expected to start discussions on the proposal in March 2018.

Substance name	Acronym	CAS number
Perfluorononanoic acid	PFNA	375-95-1
Perfluorodecanoic acid	PFDA	335-76-2
Perfluoroundecanoic acid	PFUnDA	2058-94-8
Perfluorododecanoic acid	PFDoDA	307-55-1
Perfluorotridecanoic acid	PFTrDA	72629-94-8
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid	PFTeDA	376-06-7
Note: The scope of this restriction proposal: Shall not be manufactured, used or placed on the market as substances, as constituents of other substances, in a mixture Articles or any parts thereof containing one of the substances shall not be placed on the market.”

Click here to go to KEMI website.
Click here to go to ECHA website (Submitted restrictions under consideration)

Europe - REACH

Recent Updates Regarding REACH

Below table includes a summary of the main recent updates (non-exhaustive) regarding REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006:

Summary of main recent updates
Date	Subject	Link
18 January 2018	Three new restriction intentions have been published: formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers (EC -); calcium cyanamide (EC 205-861-8); substances meeting the classification criteria as skin sensitisers and skin irritants (EC-). In addition, ECHA is inviting interested parties to submit any information related to formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers (EC -) to help with the preparation of the dossier. This call for evidence consultation is open until 11 April 2018.	Click here for the current restriction intentions
11 January 2018	The European Commission has decided to amend Annex XVII to REACH to include the substances octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (EC 209-136-7; CAS 556-67-2) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) (EC 208-764-9; CAS 541-02-6). This restriction applies to “wash-off cosmetic products” (those that are washed off with water after application). These shall not contain any of these substances in concentrations equal or greater than 0.1% by weight (from 31 January 2020)	Click here for getting the Official Journal of the European union
10 January 2018	New intentions for identification as a substance of very high concern have been received for: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (EC 209-136-7; CAS 556-67-2); decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) (EC 208-764-9; CAS 541-02-6); dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) (EC 208-762-8; CAS 540-97-6); benzo[ghi]perylene (EC 205-883-8; CAS 191-24-2). disodium octaborate (EC 234-541-0; CAS 12008-41-2).	Click here for the current SVHC intentions list
13 December 2017	The proposal for tricobalt tetraoxide containing ≥ 0.1 % w/w nickel oxides (EC 215-157-2; CAS 1308-06-1) to be identified as substance of very high concern (SVHC) has been withdrawn.	Click here for withdrawn SVHC intentions and submissions

Europe - CLP

Recent Updates Regarding CLP

Below table includes a summary of the main recent updates (non-exhaustive) regarding CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008:

Summary of main recent updates
Date	Subject	Link
17 January 2018	The harmonised classification and labelling proposal for the following substance is currently under public consultation until 19 March 2018: Iprovalicarb (ISO); isopropyl [(2S)-3-methyl-1-{[1-(4-methylphenyl)ethyl] amino}-1-oxobutan-2-yl] carbamate (EC -; CAS 140923-17-7).	Click here for public consultation list
10 January 2018	Seven new proposals to harmonise the classification and labelling have been submitted for: nitrosomorpholine (EC -, CAS 59-89-2); methyl-1H-benzotriazole (EC 249-596-6, CAS 29385-43-1); clothianidin (ISO); (E)-1-(2-Chloro-1,3-thiazol-5-ylmethyl)-3-methyl-2-nitroguanidine (EC 433-460-1, CAS 210880-92-5); 4-methylpentan-2-one (EC 203-550-1, CAS 108-10-1); acetamiprid (ISO); (1E)-N-[(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)methyl]-N'-cyano-N-methylethanimidamide; (E)-N1-[(6-chloro-3-pyridyl)methyl]-N2-cyano-N1-methylacetamidine (EC -, CAS 135410-20-7 (preferred)/160430-64-8 (alternative)); 1H-benzotriazole (EC 202-394-1, CAS 95-14-7); n-hexane (EC 203-777-6, CAS 110-54-3).	Click here to check the Submitted CLH Proposals
10 January 2018	Four new intentions to harmonise the classification and labelling have been received for: methyl salicylate (EC 204-317-7; CAS 119-36-8); tetrafluoroethylene (EC 204-126-9; CAS 116-14-3); diflufenican (ISO); N-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-3-pyridinecarboxamide (EC 617-446-2; CAS 83164-33-4); benfluralin; N-butyl-N-ethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-p-toluidine (EC 217-465-2; CAS 1861-40-1).	Click here to check the Current CLH intentions
10 January 2018	One intention to harmonise the classification and labelling has been withdrawn: Picoxystrobin (ISO) (EC -; CAS 117428-22-5).	Click here to check the withdrawn CLH intentions and submissions

California Proposition 65 Reformulations (January, 2018)

California Proposition 65 is the ‘Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986’, which has been effective for almost 30 years. Due to the implement of California Proposition 65, more and more court cases are settled to reduce the exposure to carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction chemicals by reformulating consumer products containing such chemicals.

In order to keep retailers and manufacturers up-to-date, highlights of some recent consent agreements are summarized as below:

Product	Chemical	Limit	Case No
Plastic charging kit	DINP	1000ppm Products exceed the limit shall utilize a warning statement.	Out of court
Hose coupling nut	Lead	90ppm 1.0 μg Products exceed the limit shall utilize a warning statement.	Out of court

California Prop 65- Amendment of Article 6 Clear and Reasonable Warnings Approved

In our October 2017 News Flash Edition, we informed about the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) publishing a proposal to amend sections of Article 6 of Title 27 of the California Code Regulations.

On 20 November 2017, the proposed amendments were finally approved by the Office of Administrative Law and will become operative on 30 August 2018

Below the main points:

Section	Main amendments (non-exhaustive)
25600	1. Definitions: subsections (b), (i), (j), and (m)
25600	2. Responsibility to Provide Consumer Product Exposure Warnings: subsections (b), (b)(4), (c), and (c)(1)
25601	Safe Harbor Clear and Reasonable Warnings – Methods and Content: subsection (c)
25602	Consumer Product Exposure Warnings – Methods of Transmission: subsections (a)(3), (a)(4), (b), (c), and (d)
25603	Consumer Product Exposure Warnings – Content: subsections (a)(2)(E), (b), (b)(2)(A-C), and (c)
25607	Specific Product, Chemical and Area Exposure Warnings: subsections (a) and (b)
	12. Furniture Product Exposure Warnings – Methods of Transmission: subsections (a)(1) and (a)(1)(A-B)
	13. Furniture Product Exposure Warnings – Content: subsections (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(2)(B)

Click here for more information

Canada

Canada Proposed Regulations Prohibiting Asbestos

On January 6, 2018, Canada published a proposed Prohibition of Asbestos and Asbestos Products Regulations and proposed amendments to the Export of Substances on the Export Control List Regulations in Canada Gazette, Part I.

Asbestos has been historically used in insulating buildings, homes and fireproofing. Additionally, asbestos has also been used in cement, insulation, textiles and filters.

The Canadian imited exceptions.

The current Asbestos Products Regulations (SOR/2016-164) would be repealed as the proposed Regulations would be more stringent.

Comments can be received by March 22, 2018 and significant comments will be considered in the final regulations, which are intended to be published by fall of 2018.

Click here for more information.

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