The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added five new chemicals to the Candidate List. The Candidate List is a list of substances that, according to the ECHA, may cause harm to people or the environment.  Of these five additions, one may be toxic for reproduction, three may be very persistent and bioaccumulative, one may be toxic for reproduction, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. These chemicals are found in products such as inks and toners, adhesives and sealants and washing and cleaning products. 

Entries added to the Candidate List on 23 January 2024:

•    2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol

Used in air care products, coating products, adhesives and sealants, lubricants and greases, polishes and waxes and washing and cleaning products.

•    2-(dimethylamino)-2-[(4-methylphenyl)methyl]-1-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]butan-1-one

Used in inks and toners, coating products

•    Bumetrizole

Used in coating products, adhesives and sealants and washing and cleaning products.

•    Oligomerisation and alkylation reaction products of 2-phenylpropene and phenol

Used in adhesives and sealants, coating products, fillers, putties, plasters, modelling clay, inks and toners and polymers.

•    Dibutyl phthalate (updated entry)

Used in metal working fluids, washing and cleaning products, laboratory chemicals and polymers.

Under REACH, companies have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List. 

If an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1 % (weight by weight), suppliers must give their customers and consumers information on how to use it safely. Consumers have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Importers and producers of articles must notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months from the date it has been included in the list (23 January 2024). 

Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies also must notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is published in ECHA’s database of substances of concern in products (SCIP).

To learn more, visit www.echa.europa.eu.