ECHA has added thirteen new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) to the Candidate List. All substances included are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.

Helsinki, 18 June 2012 - Four have been identified as SVHCs under the precondition that they contain certain carcinogenic constituents above the concentration limit for classifying these substances as carcinogenic. Five of the new SVHCs have been included in the Candidate List following a scrutiny of the comments received during the public consultation and the unanimous agreement of the Member State Committee (MSC). The further eight substances, which did not receive comments challenging the identification as SVHCs during public consultation, were directly added to the Candidate List.

The update of the Candidate List also comprises a consolidation of the entries of aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibres (Al-RCF) and zirconia aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibres (ZrAl-RCF) included in the List in January 2010 and December 2011. The scope of the more recent Al-RCF and ZrAl-RCF entries fully covers the earlier ones, which therefore could be consolidated in the entries from December 2011. There is now one entry for Al-RCF and one for ZrAl-RCF. Companies that comply with their obligations to notify substances in articles arising from the entries of 2010 are not required to take further action; their notifications will be assigned by ECHA to the consolidated entries.

The Candidate List now contains 84 substances.

Thirteen new substances