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.
The European Commission is working on this matter through initiatives, proposals and strategies such as:

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 28^th 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
24^th May 2018	Intention to restrict perfluorohexane-1-sulphonic acid, its salts and related substances submitted	Registry of restriction intentions
4^th 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
2^nd 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.
23^rd 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: phenmedipham (ISO); methyl 3-(3-methylcarbaniloyloxy)carbanilate (EC 237-199-0, CAS 13684-63-4); and desmedipham (ISO); ethyl 3-phenylcarbamoyloxyphenylcarbamate (EC 237-198-5, CAS 13684-56-5). Proposals to harmonise the classification and labelling for: 2-(2-chlorobenzyl)-4,4-dimethyl-1,2-oxazolidin-3-one (EC 617-258-0, CAS 81777-89-1). propyl [3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbamate monohydrochloride; propamocarb hydrochloride (EC 247-125-9; CAS 25606-41-1); and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzyl (1R,3S)-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate; Transfluthrin (EC 405-060-5, CAS 118712-89-3).	Click here for the Registry of CLH intentions until outcome
May 2018	Harmonised classification and labelling proposals in public consultation: Silthiofam (ISO); N-allyl-4,5-dimethyl-2-(trimethylsilyl)thiophene-3-carboxamide (EC -; CAS 175217-20-6) - An active substance used in plant protection products as a fungicide Prothioconazole (ISO); 2-[2-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione (EC 605-841-2; CAS 178928-70-6) - An active substance used in plant protection products as a fungicide. Thiophanate-methyl (ISO); dimethyl (1,2- phenylenedicarbamothioyl)biscarbamate; dimethyl 4,4′-(o-phenylene)bis(3-thioallophanate) (EC 245-740-7; CAS 23564-05-8) - An active substance used in plant protection products or biocidal products as a fungicide. The deadline for comments is 22 June 2018 (RS)-1-{1-ethyl-4-[4-mesyl-3-(2-methoxyethoxy)-o-toluoyl]pyrazol-5-yloxy}ethyl methyl carbonate; tolpyralate (EC -; CAS 1101132-67-5). It is an active substance used in plant protection products as an herbicide The deadline for comments is 2 July 2018 (R)-p-mentha-1,8-diene; d-limonene ( EC 227-813-5; CAS 5989-27-5) 1-isopropyl-4-methylbenzene; p-cymene (EC 202-796-7; CAS 99-87-6). p-mentha-1,3-diene; 1-isopropyl-4-methylcyclohexa-1,3-diene; alpha-terpinene ( EC: 202-795-1; CAS: 99-86-5) 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
C/2018/1075	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.
C/2018/1076	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.
C/2018/1079	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.
C/2018/1080	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.
C/2018/1081	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.
C/2018/1092	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.
C/2018/1094	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 6^th 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

The toxicological reference value (TRV) is a toxicological indicator that qualifies or quantifies a risk to human health related to exposure to a chemical. These values are essential for the quantitative assessment of health risks for the general population.

Click here for getting the news in the ANSES’s website (in French).

France

Amendment to the Environment Code

On 19^th 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 23^rd April and it come into effect on January 1, 2019.
The Ordinance prohibits the sale of upholstered furniture and certain juvenile products that contain or is made with a flame retardant chemical at a level above 1,000 parts per million. For products with electrical or electronic components containing or made with a flame retardant chemical at a level above 1,000 parts per million shall comply beginning July 1, 2019.

Click here for getting the final version of the Ordinance.

US (Ohio)

Proposal of new limit for VOC in different consumer products

On 24^th 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.