Substances of Very High Concern?

New proposals to identify an additional thirteen chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) have been published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Interested parties are invited to join the public consultation by posting their comments on the ECHA website by using the dedicated webform till 12 April 2012.

Comments should provide information concerning the identity of the substances listed below and described in detail on the ECHA website. The Member State Committee will take these comments into account when seeking agreement on the identification of a proposed substance as an SVHC.
Information on the uses of the substances is also invited. This would include data on tonnages per use and exposures or releases resulting from these uses. Information on the availability of safer alternative substances and techniques, and the structure of supply chains is also welcome.

As yet, 73 SVHCs have been included in the Candidate List. Inclusion on the list imposes new information requirements on suppliers of preparations and articles containing the substances.
The proposals have been put forward by Belgium with Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, and ECHA, at the request of the European Commission.

Table. Substances proposed for identification as an SVHC, reasons for their proposal, and their potential uses according to information provided in the Annex XV dossiers submitted for the substances.

Substance name	EC number	CAS number	Proposed SVHC property	Potential uses *
1,2-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)ethane (TEGDME; triglyme)	203-977-3	112-49-2	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c)	Mainly used as a solvent or as a processing aid in the manufacture and formulation of industrial chemicals. Minor use in brake fluids and repair of motor vehicles.
1,2-dimethoxyethane; ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (EGDME)	203-794-9	110-71-4	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c)	Mainly used as a solvent or as a processing aid in the manufacture and formulation of industrial chemicals, including use as an electrolyte solvent in lithium batteries.
Diboron trioxide	215-125-8	1303-86-2	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c)	Used in a multitude of applications, e.g., in glass and glass fibres, frits, ceramics, flame retardants, catalysts, industrial fluids, metallurgy, adhesives, inks/paints, film developers solutions, detergents and cleaners, biocides and insecticides.
Formamide	200-842-0	75-12-7	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c)	Mainly used as an intermediate. Minor uses as solvent, as reagent chemical (in the pharmaceutical industry) and as laboratory chemical. The substance seems further to be used in the agrochemical industry and as a plasticiser.
Lead(II) bis(methanesulfonate)	401-750-5	17570-76-2	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c)	Mainly used in plating (both electrolytic and electroless) processes for electronic components (such as printed circuit boards).
TGIC (1,3,5-tris(oxiranylmethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione)	219-514-3	2451-62-9	Mutagenic (Article 57b)	Mainly used as a hardener in resins and coatings; also used in inks for the printed circuit board industry, electrical insulation material, resin moulding systems, laminated sheeting, silk screen printing coatings, tools, adhesives, lining materials and stabilisers for plastics.
β-TGIC (1,3,5-tris[(2S and 2R)-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-trione)	423-400-0	59653-74-6	Mutagenic (Article 57b)	Mainly used as a hardener in resins and coatings; also used in inks for the printed circuit board industry, electrical insulation material, resin moulding systems, laminated sheeting, silk screen printing coatings, tools, adhesives, lining materials and stabilisers for plastics.
4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)benzophenone (Michler’s ketone)	202-027-5	90-94-8	Carcinogenic (Article 57a)	Intermediate in the manufacture of triphenylmethane dyes and other substances. Further potential uses include as additive (photosensitiser) in dyes and pigments, in dry film products, as a process chemical in the production of electronic circuit boards, in research and development applications.
N,N,N’,N’-tetramethyl-4,4′-methylenedianiline (Michler’s base)	202-959-2	101-61-1	Carcinogenic (Article 57a)	Intermediate in the manufacture of dyes and other substances. Used also as chemical reagent in research and development.
[4-[4,4′-bis(dimethylamino) benzhydrylidene]cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene]dimethylammonium chloride (C.I. Basic Violet 3)	208-953-6	548-62-9	Carcinogenic** (Article 57a)	Used mainly for paper colouring and inks supplied in printer cartridges and ball pens. Further uses include staining of dried plants, marker for increasing the visibility of liquids, staining in microbial and clinical laboratories.
[4-[[4-anilino-1-naphthyl][4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methylene]cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene] dimethylammonium chloride (C.I. Basic Blue 26)	219-943-6	2580-56-5	Carcinogenic** (Article 57a)	Used in the production of inks, cleaners, and coatings, as well as for dyeing of paper, packaging, textiles, plastic products, and other types of articles. It is also used in diagnostic and analytical applications.
α,α-Bis[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-4 (phenylamino)naphthalene-1-methanol (C.I. Solvent Blue 4)	229-851-8	6786-83-0	Carcinogenic** (Article 57a)	Mainly used in the production of printing and writing inks, for dyeing of paper and in mixtures such as windscreen washing agents.
4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)-4”-(methylamino)trityl alcohol	209-218-2	561-41-1	Carcinogenic** (Article 57a)	Used in the production of writing inks and potentially in the production of other inks, as well as for dyeing of a variety of materials.

* Potential uses according to information provided in the Annex XV dossiers.
** The substance does only fulfil the criteria of REACH Art. 57 (a) if it contains Michler’s ketone (EC Number: 202-027-5) or Michler’s base (EC Number: 202-959-2) in a concentration ≥ 0.1% (weight / weight).