01-Jun-2009. Shoppers can now demand information on toxic chemicals contained in everyday household products under EU legislation. REACH legislation gives consumers the right to ask manufacturers for details of chemicals in products and packaging, which may not be listed in the contents description. A ‘candidate list’ (15 substances) of substances of ‘very high concern’ has been compiled by the EU. Among the possible 267 chemicals that could be added to the candidate list is Bisphenol A, which is present in baby bottles, food and drink containers and paints. It is associated with reproductive dysfunction and an increased cancer risk. The manufacturer which receives such a request must respond within 45 days.

02-Jun-2009. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published the opinion of its Member States Committee (MSC) accepting the Agency's first recommendation of seven substances of very high concern (SVHCs) which companies will not be allowed to use without seeking specific authorization. Announcing ECHA's agreement on the priority list - in time for the 1 June 2009 deadline stipulated by the REACH Regulation - executive director Geert Dancet said agreement on the first substances to go through the authorization process marked an "important milestone". He added: "The protection of human health and the environment is at the heart of REACH and submitting the use of these seven problematic substances to authorization moves us one step closer to that goal." Alongside the opinion, ECHA has published a detailed report describing the MSC's thinking on the general process of prioritization as well as the views of its members on each of the 15 Candidate List substances that were considered for prioritization. It also states the MSC's views on the many responses received during the prioritization process. ECHA says those responses that were not marked confidential will be published as soon as certain "technical problems" are resolved.

For more information, see the full press release