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New REACH restrictions on substances in articles, does this change anything for you?

The European REACH Regulation EC 1907/2006 contains restrictions on the use of chemical substances in mixtures and articles, among other things. These restrictions are laid down in Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation. Over the past year, a number of significant changes have been made to Annex XVII that will come into effect in 2020. If you sell products on the European market, this may affect your safety records. Wondering if the recent changes apply to your products? We have listed the most important changes for you!

Phthalates in articles

The first major change is the expansion of the scope of entry 51 in Annex XVII of the REACH regulation. The substance diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) has been added to this entry, bringing the number of restricted phthalates in entry 51 to four:

Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
2. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
3. Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
4. Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)

In addition, the restriction requirements have also been expanded. Whereas the restrictions on the use of phthalates in entry 51 previously applied only to toys and childcare articles, from July 7, 2020, they will apply to all articles. From this date, no objects may be placed on the market in the European Union in which the concentration of phthalates exceeds 0.1% by weight of the plasticized material. This limit concerns both phthalates individually and in combination with each other.

Does your product contain plasticized plastic? If so, it is important to find out if, and in what quantities, one or more of the listed phthalates have been used in the material.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

A second important change is the inclusion of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in entry 68 of Annex XVII. PFOA is a substance mainly used to protect surfaces such as in water-repellent clothing, non-stick coatings and coatings for packaging materials. Although virtually no longer produced in Europe, this substance can still be found in imported products.

The restrictions on PFOA will go into effect on July 4, 2020. From then on, PFOA may no longer be produced or placed on the market as a substance or as a component of a substance, mixture or article. The concentration limit is set at 0.025 µg/g of PFOA, or 1 µg/g of a related substance or combination of related substances.

Do you manufacture or import products that have non-stick or water-repellent coatings? Then it is important to check that these coatings do not contain PFOA or related substances in concentrations exceeding the legal limit.

Need support?

Do you import products from outside the European Union and would you like to know whether these changes affect your products? Or are you looking for support in determining the relevant Annex XVII restrictions that apply to your products?

Contact us at +31 (0)30 - 65 66 010 or info@precongroup.com. You will then receive our no-obligation quotation.

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