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EU: REACH SVHC roadmap 2020 is completed

FEBRUARY 2021 - ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS, HARDLINES, SOFTLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

On 4 February 2021, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published¹ a summary of the SVHC Roadmap 2020 and announced its completion. This roadmap was launched since 2013 by the European Commission. The purpose is to identify all relevant, current known SVHCs and include them on the Candidate List by 2020. 

This Roadmap helps building a consistent, transparent and efficient approach to identifying and address substances of concern. Moreover, the inclusion of SVHC to the Candidate List is one of the regulatory options. The roadmap can address the concerned chemicals via the most appropriate regulatory actions e.g. restriction. 

Here are the key highlights of the achievement² of the SVHC Roadmap 2020:

1. All relevant, currently known substances of very high concern (SVHCs) identified and action taken where needed to manage their risks. It includes those which are identified as CMRs, PBTs/vPvBs and EDs. The relevant substances are those that have been registered for the uses within the scope of authorisation under REACH.
2. Around 220 Chemicals were assessed through regulatory management option analysis (RMOA). Regulatory actions proposed for around 80 % of them.
3. Grouping of chemical similar substances for evaluation helps to speed up the identification of substances of concern. 
4. ECHA launched the public activity coordination tools (PACT). That can increase the transparency and predictability of authorities’ activities on substances of concerned related to REACH and CLP processes. 

The accomplishment of SVHC Roadmap does not mark an end of the identification of SVHC to the Candidate List. The work will be continued with the next goal to conclude all registered substances whether they are high priority for EU level regulatory risk management; high priority for data generation; or currently of low priority for further EU level regulatory action.

Abbreviations:
SVHC: Substances of very high concerns;
CMRs: carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction;
PBTs/vPvBs: persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic/very persistent and very bioaccumulative;
EDs: endocrine disruptors.

[2]  SVHC Roadmap achievement in brief