Eurofins | Newsflash - June 2018 | Chemical
Europe
Reduction of plastics in the environment The single use plastic (SUP) items represent about half of all marine litter items found on European beaches. The problem of marine litter is transboundary by nature, as litter moves in the marine environment and litter originating from one country can affect others. It is for this reason that a joint action is needed to reduce it. |
- EU plastic strategy
- Initiative towards an EU Product Policy Framework contributing to the Circular Economy
- Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste
- The last publication: Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment with reference (COM/2018/340 final - 2018/0172 (COD)).
This last proposal was published on 28th May with the main objective of preventing and reducing plastic marine litter. This proposal applies a SUP items and fishing gear containing plastic.
At national level there are countries that are already working in national bans such as UK with “The Environmental Protection (Microbeads) Regulations 2018” and France that will ban plastic cups, plates and cutlery of only one use by 2020. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is also working in the restriction of microplastics.
Click here for getting the European Commission Press release about Single-use plastics.
Click here for getting the ECHA article related to Plastics, chemicals and regulation.
Europe - REACH
Two new substances in the next update of Candidate List (SVHCs)
This summer, ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) will update the Candidate List including two substances for which the European Commission has recently published its decision to identify them as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). These substances are:
Substance name | EC number | CAS number | Basis for European Commission ‘s decision |
Benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2 anhydride (trimellitic anhydride) (TMA) | 209-008-0 | 552-30-7 | Its respiratory sensitising properties C/2018/2112 |
Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) | 201-545-9 | CAS 84-61-7 | Its classification as toxic for reproduction category 1B, and its endocrine disrupting properties with probable serious effects to human health. C/2018/2167 |
Europe - REACH
Recent Additional 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 |
24th May 2018 | Intention to restrict perfluorohexane-1-sulphonic acid, its salts and related substances submitted | Registry of restriction intentions |
4th May 2018 | The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union , Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/675 of 2 May 2018 amending the Appendices to Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards CMR substances | Link to Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/675 |
2nd May 2018 | ECHA opened a call for comments and evidence on the use of D4, D5 and D6 in consumer and professional products. Deadline for providing inputs: 18/06/2018 |
Link of the Current calls for comments and evidence in ECHA website. |
23rd April 2018 | Corrigendum to Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/589 of 18 April 2018 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards methanol | The Official Journal of the European Union link. |
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 |
May 2018 | The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/669 of 16 April 2018 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical and scientific progress, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. | Link to Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/669 |
May 2018 | Intention to harmonise the classification and labelling for:
Proposals to harmonise the classification and labelling for:
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Click here for the Registry of CLH intentions until outcome |
May 2018 | Harmonised classification and labelling proposals in public consultation:
The deadline for comments is 22 June 2018
The deadline for comments is 2 July 2018
The deadline for comments is 20 July 2018 |
Click here to check Harmonised classification and labelling public consultations |
Europe– RoHS
New Amendments for RoHS
The European Commission has recently published the following amendments to Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS) as below:
Reference | Title |
Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/741 of 1 March 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead as an alloying element in copper. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/742 of 1 March 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead in high melting temperature solders. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/736 of 27 February 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for certain electrical and electronic components containing lead in glass or ceramic. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/737 of 27 February 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead in solders for the soldering to machined through hole discoidal and planar array ceramic multilayer capacitors. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/738 of 27 February 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer elements. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/740 of 1 March 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead as an alloying element in aluminium. |
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Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2018/739 of 1 March 2018 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for lead as an alloying element in steel. |
France
More than 500 reference toxicological values available On 6th March, The ANSES (Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire alimentation, environnement, travail) published that the Agency is currently making available a database which includes about 500 TRVs:Database of toxicological reference values constructed and selected by ANSES |
France
Amendment to the Environment Code
On 19th April, the French authorities published the amendment on the list of chemicals that may pose a significant risk to health and the environment:
Arrêté du 8 février 2018 modifiant l'arrêté du 16 août 2012 fixant la liste des produits chimiques pouvant présenter un risque significatif pour la santé et l'environnement
Click here for getting the publication in the Official journal of the French Republic (in French).
US (San Francisco)
New requirements for flame retardants in upholstered furniture and juvenile products The “Flame Retardant Chemicals in Upholstered Furniture and Juvenile Products Ordinance” was signed by the Mayor on 23rd April and it come into effect on January 1, 2019. |
US (Ohio)
Proposal of new limit for VOC in different consumer products
On 24th April, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency notified to World Trade Organization the proposal amendment of “Volatile Organic Compound Limits in Consumer Products”.
The aim of this draft is to strengthen consumer and environmental protection by establishing new limit for quantity of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in consumer products, such as paint, cleaning products and beauty products.
Click here for getting the publication in the European Commission website.