EU chems regulator selects nearly 300 chemicals for possible further regulatory action

LONDON (ICIS)–The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is to further scrutinise potential hazards in 290 chemicals which could result in risk management regulatory action, it said on Wednesday.

In 2020, the Helsinki-based chemicals regulator assessed around 1,900 chemicals registered under the EU’s Reach regulatory system.

In its Integrated Regulatory Strategy annual report published on Wednesday, it concluded that nearly 300 substances require additional information from the companies who filed dossiers to register them.

“290 of these [assessed 1,900 substances] may be candidates for further regulatory risk management at EU level if their hazards are confirmed,” said ECHA.

Most of the 290 substances require more data to be submitted to the regulator, and confirmation that they constitute a hazard before any regulatory action can start.

ECHA said that, to facilitate the substances assessments, the 27 EU member countries were asked once again to “ensure adequate resources” for the job, as well as maximise collaboration among them to optimise procedures.

“It is [also] important that industry makes use of programmes developed to help them to review and update data in their REACH registration dossiers,” said ECHA.

“The updates must be done proactively and not only after authorities take regulatory action.”

HUGE TASK
In 2020, ECHA sped up its assessments of registered substances, with the total of 1,900 doubling the number assessed in 2019 and being ten times larger than the substances assessed annually between 2014 and 2018.

With its Integrated Regulatory Strategy, the ECHA says it is aiming to accelerate data generation, the identification of groups of substances of concern, and potential regulatory action.

ECHA’s goal is to clarify by 2027 which registered substances are a high priority for regulatory risk management or data generation, and which are currently a low priority for further regulatory action.

Harmonising classification of substances among the 27 EU countries is a key prerequisite, however, for the bloc’s regulator to kickstart any risk management actions, said ECHA.

“There are over 100 substances identified, which based on currently available information, would warrant harmonised classification, but which have so far not been picked up by authorities,” it said.

“A lack of harmonised classification may delay risk management actions by companies or authorities.”

The annual report by ECHA can be read here (opens PDF in new tab).

ECHA is yet to assess thousands of substances. A guide to its ‘Universe of registered substances’ and their assessment status can be read here (opens new tab).