Rhode Island’s Microplastics Reduction Act Would Prohibit Sales by 2030
Rhode Island lawmakers have introduced legislation that would ban products containing intentionally added microplastics and require the development of statewide testing and strategy plans. The Microplastics Reduction Act, SB 2534, would prohibit the sale or distribution of any product containing intentionally added synthetic polymer microparticles starting January 1, 2030. The definitions of key terms used […]
ECHA proposes adding 11 substances to REACH Authorization List.
Last week, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that it is considering adding 11 substances to the Authorization List, also known as Annex XIV of REACH. The agency is soliciting comments on its draft recommendation, including “comments on the priority of the substances, their uses, possible exemptions from the authorisation requirement and on the proposed […]
EU court rules on notification requirements for REACH articles.
Under Europe’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation, notifications are required for components of complex products that meet the 0.1% threshold concentration for certain chemicals, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled. The court’s decision, issued last week, overturns guidance issued in 2011 by the European Commission and European Chemicals Agency […]
REACH Candidate List updated with four new Substances of Very High Concern.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced the addition of four new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) to the Candidate List: cadmium chloride, a phthalate (1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dihexyl ester, branched and linear), and two boron substances (sodium peroxometaborate and sodium perborate; perboric acid, sodium salt). This addition brings the Candidate List to a current […]
EPA exploring data-sharing possibilities with European regulators.
The EPA is considering ways to share chemical data with European regulators, including research on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and information submitted for REACH compliance. Chemical Watch reports that Jim Jones, EPA Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, will discuss sharing EDC data with regulators in Brussels in late June. […]
Report: REACH a primary trade barrier for SMEs exporting to EU.
Last week, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) released a report identifying the high costs of complying with REACH as one of the primary trade barriers affecting American small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeking to export to the EU. Although SMEs account for as much as 35 percent of U.S. chemicals exports to the EU, […]
ECHA finalizes REACH CoRAP list.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has adopted its final substance evaluation plan for 2014-2016. This updates the REACH Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) list to contain 120 substances, 51 of which will be evaluated by member states this year. The plan provides that 48 more substances will be evaluated in 2015 and 21 in 2016, […]
UK REACH survey: high costs and supply chain communications problems.
According to a survey conducted by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), REACH registration has forced some firms to withdraw products from the market. Defra’s REACH Business Impacts Survey collected information from over 150 respondents on the effects of REACH on UK businesses following the first and second registration deadlines, with […]
Member states, ECHA agree to improve substance evaluation interactions.
Member states, the European Commission, and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have agreed on recommendations for improving communications under the REACH Community Rolling Action Plan (Corap). Last month, we reported on the presentation and endorsement of a working group paper recommending the improvement of interactions during the REACH substance evaluation process. Earlier this week, ECHA […]
ECHA finds that 70 percent of REACH registration dossiers are noncompliant.
After evaluating over 1,000 substance registration dossiers in the over-100 tonne per year band, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) found that almost 70 percent of the dossiers were noncompliant. Yesterday, ECHA announced the results of its compliance checks of 1,130 dossiers, comprising 5.7 percent of the registration dossiers over 100 tonnes submitted for the first […]