On February 4, 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the official inclusion of n-Hexane and 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol (BPAF) and its salts into the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list.
Previously, the EU Member State Committee (MSC) unanimously agreed during its December 2025 meeting to identify n-Hexane as an SVHC. Notably, this is the first substance to be included in the SVHC candidate list based on equivalent level of concern (ELOC) for neurotoxicity, rather than traditional criteria like carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or reproductive toxicity. The other substance, BPAF and its salts, was identified as an SVHC due to its established reproductive toxicity without requiring committee involvement.
Additionally, the meeting minutes noted that the SVHC identification proposal for 4,4'-methylenediphenol (Bisphenol F, BPF) was withdrawn prior to the meeting. However, its status on the ECHA SVHC Intention Registry remains "Identification ongoing." Therefore, whether this substance is definitively withdrawn from the SVHC identification process awaits final official confirmation.
Newly Added SVHC Substance
|
Substance Name |
CAS No./EC No. |
Reason for Proposal |
Common Uses |
|
n-Hexane |
CAS No. 110-54-3 EC No. 203-777-6 |
Specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure (Article 57(f) - human health) |
Formulation, polymer processing, coatings, and cleaning agent. |
|
4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol (BPAF) and its salts |
CAS No. EC No. - |
Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c) |
Process regulator and cross-linking agent. |
Current SVHC Status Summary (as of now):
- The SVHC Candidate List now contains 253 entries across 36 updates.
- 1 substance is pending (Resorcinol).
ChemRadar Insights
For products exported to Europe containing SVHCs above 0.1%, companies must fulfill information transmission and SCIP notification obligations. If the export volume of SVHCs exceeds 1 ton/year, SVHC notification is also required.
Corporate Responsibilities and Obligations
Companies should note that products containing SVHC substances entail corresponding responsibilities and obligations:
- When the SVHC content in an article exceeds 0.1%, its supplier must provide the recipient of the article with information on safe use;
- Upon consumer request, sufficient and accessible information, including the substance name and its content, shall be provided free of charge within 45 days;
- If the annual export volume exceeds 1 ton, importers and producers of the article must also submit a notification to ECHA within 6 months from today;
- Starting from January 5, 2021, articles containing more than 0.1% of substances listed on the SVHC Candidate List must also submit relevant information to ECHA's SCIP database;
- Substances on the SVHC Candidate List may be added to the Authorization List in the future, at which point companies must apply for authorization to continue their use.
Further Information
