The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Restricts the use of 4 Phthalates

Yellow Ducks in a row

The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) agreed on a restriction proposal on four phthalates (DEHP, DBP, DIBP and BBP) in articles and on TDFA in sprays used by the general public. The committees also agreed on 19 draft opinions and adopted three final opinions on applications for authorisation.

Helsinki, 21 March 2017 – RAC and SEAC continued their work on 26 applications for authorisation. The committees agreed in total on 19 draft opinions on specific uses of chromium (VI) substances, 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) and bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether (diglyme). The draft opinions will be sent to the applicants for comments before final adoption.

The committees also finalised their work on three further applications for authorisation by adopting opinions on the industrial use of arsenic acid and chromium trioxide for the treatment of copper foil used in the manufacture of printed circuit board, and on the use of chromium trioxide in plating on plastics for automotive applications.

RAC adopted its opinion, in support of the proposal by ECHA and Denmark to restrict the four phthalates (DEHP, DBP, DIBP and BBP) in articles. The recommendation is to ban phthalates in articles that cause exposure through the skin or by inhalation, such as flooring, coated fabrics and paper, recreational gear and equipment, mattresses, footwear, office supplies and equipment, and other articles moulded or coated with plastic. SEAC agreed its draft opinion and concluded that the proposed restriction is the most appropriate EU-wide measure to address the identified risks in terms of the proportionality of its socio-economic benefits to its costs.

The committees also supported the proposal by Denmark to restrict the placing on the market of sprays used by the general public containing TDFAs (3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)silanetriol and any of its mono-, di- or tri-O-(alkyl) derivatives. RAC also adopted five opinions on harmonised classification and labelling including one on the herbicide glyphosate.

The following phthalates (or other CAS and EC numbers covering the substance):