On April 13, 2023, ECHA recommended 8 substances including lead and ethylenediamine should be added to the REACH Authorisation List to protect workers and the environment. The objective of REACH Authorisation List is to control risks of these substances and can only be used without safer alternatives. Substances in the Authorisation List are restricted after the sunset date and cannot be used unless application or authorisation is made. ECHA has prioritized these substances from the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC) for this recommendation as they are of the highest priority.
Details of these 8 substances are listed in the following table:
| Name of Substances | Intrinsic Property of SVHC |
Tonnage (t/y) |
Typical Authorisation Uses |
| Ethylenediamine (203-468-6) |
Respiratory sensitization (Article 57(f)-human health) |
1,000-10,000 | Used as treating agent, preservative, additives in refinery process, and used for odor emission control |
| 2-(4-tertbutylbenzyl)propionaldehyde and its individual stereoisomers | Reproductive toxicity | 1,000-10,000 | Used as spices in products such as washing products,cleaning products, air fresheners, polishes and waxes. |
| Lead (231-100-4) | Reproductive toxicity | >10,000 | Widely used in battery, ammunition, cable, vehicle, machinery, electronic products, radiation shielding, health, construction, art and musical instrument manufacturing and other fields |
| Glutaral (203-856-5) |
Respiratory sensitization (Article 57(f)-human health) |
1,000-10,000 | Used as auxiliary in leather tanning, X-ray film developer, preservative, cross-linking agent, and polyreaction. |
|
2-methyl-1-(4-methylthiophenyl)-2-morpholinopropan-1-one (400-600-6) |
Reproductive toxicity | 1,000-10,000 | Used as photoinitiators in UV-curing coatings,inks and adhesives |
|
2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4'-morpholinobutyrophenone (404-360-3) |
Reproductive toxicity | 100-1,000 | Used as photoinitiators in UV-curing coatings, inks and adhesives |
| Diisohexyl phthalate (276-090-2) | Reproductive toxicity | 0 |
No further registration or use information |
|
Orthoboric acid, sodium salt (237-560-2) |
Reproductive toxicity | 0 |
No further registration or use information |
Comments
Once these 8 substances are officially included to the Authorisation List, it will present a sunset date and the latest application date. Enterprises shall make corresponding strategies before export to EU and then decide whether to submit the authorisation before sunset date or give up EU market. The authorisation itself is to give a transitional period to advance the the development of alternatives. Authorisation is the legal obligation under REACH registration and its cost is relatively high. Therefore, corresponding plans shall be made as earlier as possible.
