The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has recently added 13 new substances to the Candidate List for Authorization of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), said the testing company SGS.

Several additional entries to the list made in January 2010 and December 2011 are now consolidated, effectively combining several aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibers (Al-RCF) and several zirconia aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibers (ZrAl-RCF).

This means the list consists of 84 substances now, after merging the two Al-RCF and ZrAl-RCF entries. The ECHA published its draft multi-annual work program in April 2012 and future consultations and discussion should result in the SVHC Candidate List growing steadily during 2013-2015.

The future focus is expected to be placed on substances considered to have persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) properties and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties in addition to substances of equivalent concern arising from emerging processes, such as endocrine disruptors and nanoparticles.

REACH states that European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) producers and importers must provide information on the safe use of articles to consumers and users when supplying, and within 45 days on request by consumers, when articles contain a concentration of more than 0.1% (w/w) of a substance on the SVHC list (article 33). Furthermore, REACH requires notification when SVHC in articles exceeds a concentration of 0.1% (w/w) of an article and the total in all articles per producer or importer exceeds 1 tonne per year (article 7).