Eurofins | Newsflash - May 2018 | Chemical

Europe

New Website on Chemicals

On 15^th March 2018, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a new website where consumers can find information about chemicals in our daily lives.

The website, 'Chemicals in our life', is available in 23 languages. The readers can find a great variety of information such as hot topics, chemical database, nanomaterials, benefits and risks of using chemicals, explanation about EU legislations, etc ...

Europe - REACH

Guideline on PAHs restriction

In March 2018, the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) published a guideline on Annex XVII Entry 50 on PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in articles supplied to the general public.

It aims to help suppliers, importers, distributors, users of articles, as well as the competent authorities of Member States to understand and comply with their obligations under REACH Regulation.

Click here for getting the guideline from the ECHA website.

Europe - REACH

Recommended restriction on flame retardants

On 5^thApril 2018, the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) published a Screening report about the use of Flame retardants in articles.

The flame retardants under study are:

Substance Names (IUPAC)	EC Numbers	CAS Numbers
tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP)	204-118-5	115-96-8
tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCPP)	237-158-7	13674-84-5
Reaction mass of tris(2-chloropropyl) phosphate and tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate and Phosphoric acid, bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) 2-chloropropyl ester and Phosphoric acid, 2-chloro-1-methylethyl bis(2-chloropropyl) ester (TCPP)	(-)	(-)
tris[2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl] phosphate (TDCP)	237-159-2	13674-87-8

Since the screening assessment identified a risk for children from exposure to TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in flexible polyurethane (PUR) foams in childcare articles and residential upholstered furniture, ECHA recommends an Annex XV restriction dossier is prepared.

Click here for getting the Screening report – “An assessment of whether the use of TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in articles should be restricted”

Europe - REACH

Microplastics in our daily lives: A growing concern

Microplastics are very small particles of plastic material (typically smaller than 5mm). They can be unintentionally formed through the wear and they can also be deliberately manufactured and intentionally added to products for a specific purpose, such as exfoliating beads in facial or body scrubs. Once released to the environment, they may be accumulated by animals, including fish and shellfish and, consequently, ingested as food by consumers.

Due to growing concern for the environment and human health, several EU Member States have enacted or proposed national bans on the intentional use of microplastics in certain consumer products.

The ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) has launched a call for collecting evidences and information about the impacts of microplastics in order to evaluate a possible restriction of microplastics in any kind of products. The call for evidence is open until 11 May 2018.

Click here to access the call for evidence in ECHA website.

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
19^th April 2018	The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/588 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 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone New Entry 71 added in Annex XVII: 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)	Link to Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/588
19^th April 2018	The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union, 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 New Entry 69 added in Annex XVII: Methanol	Link to Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/589
28^th March 2018	The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) the Draft Commission Regulation 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 bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (and its accompanying annex)	Link to Notification Detail
21^st March 2018	The Netherlands, in cooperation with ECHA, have updated their intention to restrict the placing on the market of plastic, rubber and other granules containing PAHs above a set concentration limit. The intention covers uses as infill material on synthetic turf pitches or as loose granules or mulch on playgrounds and sport applications	Click here for the Registry of restriction intentions

Europe - REACH

Draft amendment commission regulation for nanomaterials

On 26^th April 2018, the Draft Commission Regulation amending several Annexes to REACH was voted in the REACH Committee.

The aim of these amendments is to provide more information about the characteristics of nanomaterials, how they are used, how to handle them safely, what risks they potentially pose to health and the environment and how these risks are controlled.

The Draft Commission Regulation is now subject to scrutiny by the Parliament and Council for a period of three months before being adopted by the Commission.

The ECHA recommends familiarising with the amendments and assessing what action needs to be taken to comply with them.

Click here to access the ECHA website.

Europe - CLP

Product categorisation system

The European Poison Centres’ website provides information on the European product categorisation system (EuPCS) for mixtures within the scope of article 45 of CLP regulation.

The EuPCS describes ‘the intended use of a mixture’ for which a submission has to be made according to Article 45 and Annex VIII to the CLP Regulation. It covers mixtures classified as hazardous based on their health effects or physical properties.

This information will be necessary to do the notification to Poison Centres in 2020 (for consumer uses).

Click here to access the European Poison Centres website.

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
April 2018	Intention to harmonise the classification and labelling for: divanadium pentaoxide (EC 215-239-8, CAS 1314-62-1). exo-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl acrylate (EC 227-561-6, CAS 5888-33-5); tolclofos-methyl (ISO); O-(2,6-dichloro-p-tolyl) O,O-dimethyl thiophosphate (EC 260-515-3, CAS 57018-04-9). flutolanil (ISO); N-[3-(propan-2-yloxy)phenyl]-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzamide; α,α,α-trifluoro-3′-isopropoxy-o-toluanilide (EC -, CAS number 66332-96-5). Proposals to harmonise the classification and labelling for: trichlorosilane (EC 233-042-5, CAS 10025-78-2); 66'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-methylenedi-p-cresol (EC 204-327-1, CAS 119-47-1). pendimethalin (ISO); N-(1-ethylpropyl)-2,6-dinitro-3.4-xylidene (EC 254-938-2, CAS 40487-42-1); tetrakis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-m-phenylene biphosphate (EC 432-770-2, CAS 139189-30-3).	Click here for the Registry of CLH intentions until outcome
April 2018	Harmonised classification and labelling proposals in public consultation: 1,4-dioxane (EC 204-661-8; CAS 123-91-1) - An industrial chemical mainly used as a solvent in the manufacture of other chemicals and as a stabilizer in the transport of halogenated hydrocarbons. 5-chloro-2-methoxy-4-methyl-3-pyridyl)(4,5,6-trimethoxy-o-tolyl)methanone (Pyriofenone) (EC 692-456-8; CAS 688046-61-9) - An active substance used in plant protection products as a fungicide. N-methoxy-N-[1-methyl-2-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-ethyl]-3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methylpyrazole-4-carboxamide; pydiflumetofen (EC: -, CAS: 1228284-64-7) - An active substance used in plant protection products as a fungicide. Flumioxazin (ISO); N-(7-fluoro-3,4-dihydro-3-oxo-4-prop-2-ynyl-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl)cyclohex-1-ene-1,2-dicarboximide (CAS 103361-09-7) - An active substance used in plant protection products as an herbicide. The deadline for comments is 8 June 2018.	Click here to check Harmonised classification and labelling public consultations

Europe - REACH & CLP

RAC and SEAC opinions

On 16^th march 2018 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published the Annex to news release on the fourteen adopted proposals for harmonised classification and labelling by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and adopts two final opinions on restriction proposals by the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC).

Below a table summary:

Annex to a news release
RAC adopted and SEAC agreed on one restriction proposal	Lead and its compounds in shot
SEAC adopted two restriction proposals.	Diisocyanates
SEAC adopted two restriction proposals.	Lead in PVC
RAC agreed on seven and SEAC on five draft opinions on six applications for authorisation.	For authorisation on uses of chromium (VI) substances.
RAC adopted fourteen opinions on harmonised classification and labelling.	Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxilane; [D4]
	Branched hexatriacontane
	2-methoxyethyl acrylate
	Diisooctyl phthalate
	Imiprothrin (ISO)
	Silicon carbide fibres (diameter <3 μm, length > 5 μm and aspect ratio ≥ 3:1)
	Pymetrozine (ISO)
	Margosa, ext. [cold-pressed oil of Azadirachta indica seeds without shells extracted with super-critical carbon dioxide]
	Ipconazole (ISO)
	Ethofumesate (ISO) (±)-2-ethoxy-2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethylbenzofuran-5-yl me-thanesulfonate
	L-(+)-lactic acid; (2S)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid
	1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-C8-10-branched alkylesters, C9-rich; [1] di-“isononyl” phthalate; [2] (DINP)
	(2RS)-2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propan-2-ol; mefentrifluconazole
	MCPA-thioethyl
RAC adopted three scientific evaluations on occupational exposure limits on	Nickel and its compounds
	Benzene
	Acrylonitrile

Click here for getting the Annex to a news release by European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

Europe - POPs

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) Initiative

On 22^nd March 2018, the European Commission published a “Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Persistent Organic Pollutants (recast)”

Stakeholders can send their comments about this initiative until 17^thMay 2018.

Click here to access this initiative with reference COM(2018)144

Europe - RoHS

New draft amendments for RoHS

The European Commission has recently published the following draft amendments to Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS) as below:

Reference	Title
C(2018)1079	COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) .../… 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) .../… 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 machine through hole discoidal and planar array ceramic multilayer capacitors
C(2018)1081	COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) .../… 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

Labelling of methylene chloride in household products

On 10^th April 2018, the Consumer Product Safety Commission notified the World Trade Organization the supplemental Guidance about Labelling of Certain Household Products Containing Methylene Chloride.

The aim of this guidance is to address hazards from inhaling methylene chloride vapors by the use of proper labelling.

Click here for getting the draft notification with reference: G/TBT/N/USA/1357
Click here for getting the publication in the Federal Register

US - Massachusetts

New requirements for flame retardants

Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health has reported Bill S.1175 favorably (“An Act to protect children and families from harmful flame retardants”). This act would ban the manufacture or sale of bedding, carpeting, residential upholstered furniture, window treatment and products “marketed for use by children 12 years of age or under” that contain more than 1,000 ppm of flame retardants, by weight.

Following the flame retardants list:

Chemical Name	CAS Number
Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP)	13674–87–8
Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP)	115–1496–8
Antimony trioxide	1309–64–4
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)	25637–99–4
Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6- tetrabromophthalate (TBPH)	26040–51–7
2-EthylhexYl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB)	183658– 27–7
Chlorinated paraffins	85535–84–8
Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP)	13674–84–5
PentaBDE	32534-81-9
OctaBDE	32536-52-0
Any other chemical flame retardants specified by the department pursuant to subsection (C) of SB1175

Click here for getting the Bill S.1175 from the 190^th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.