European Union Asks Chemical Manufacturers To Provide More Health And Safety Data For 32 Substances Under REACH

Chemical makers are being asked to provide more health and safety data for 32 of the 36 substances that were the first evaluated under the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH) law. The information request stems from questions cropping up in evaluations that EU countries conducted for these compounds in 2012. Last week, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that in March and April it will provide draft evaluations to manufacturers of the 32 chemicals. ECHA will ask the companies for additional hazard or exposure information that would address questions raised in the drafts. Companies have 30 days to respond. Affected substances include bisphenol A, hydroquinone, methanol, and triclosan. ECHA said there was no need for further data on the other four chemicals evaluated—ethylene oxide, tributyl phosphate, toluene diisocyanate, and toluene. Also last week, ECHA unveiled a proposal to list 10 more chemicals as candidates for strict REACH regulation. Among those substances are surfactants including 4-nonylphenol ethoxylates and perfluoro­octanoic acid and its ammonium salt.