This article has been translated with machine translation.
About the list
Substances of very high concern (SVHC substances) can be listed on the candidate list. It is the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that evaluates the evidence and decides if substances meet the criteria for listing. The list is called the candidate list because the substances on the list are candidates for Annex XIV (Authorization) of the REACH regulation. The candidate list is typically updated twice a year.
The criteria is collected from ECHA's website and kept updated continuously according to the official site for Candidate List of substances of very high concern for Authorisation
A substance listed on the candidate list can still be used, but companies have an obligation to provide information. This means that companies selling chemical products and goods must inform their customers. As an end user, you might need extra precautions in the handling of the product, to avoid harmful exposure.
For goods, the substance must be disclosed if the concentration exceeds 0.1% by weight, and for companies selling chemical products, the substance must be disclosed in the safety data sheet if the concentration is equal to or exceeds 0.1% by weight. There may also be requirements to notify ECHA when manufacturing or importing goods containing more than 0.1%, and the amount of the substance exceeds 1 ton per year.
To facilitate material recycling, a duty to report substances on the candidate list in goods was introduced in 2021 in a specific database, the SCIP database. This legal requirement is stated in Waste Directive 2008/98/EG.
I have products on the list - what should I do?
A good first step is to investigate which substance, in your chemical product, is causing the match against the list.
Follow these steps to find the substance:
1. Go to Overview > Restriction and prohibition Lists > REACH Candidate list of SVHC
2. Click on a product, to get to the product's iSafe/product info.
3. Scroll down to the Restriction and prohibition lists field and find "REACH Candidate list of SVHC". There you see which substance causes the match under "Reason".
4. If you want to know the concentration of that substance in the product, you can either check section 3 of the product's SDS, or click on "Show composition" at the bottom of the page.
We recommend phasing out products containing substances on the candidate list if possible. Contact your supplier to initiate a dialogue or conduct investigations into alternative products independently. Keep in mind that substances on the candidate list are candidates for Annex XIV. If the substance is listed on Annex XIV, it cannot be used without specific permit.
If you want to work more proactively to phase out unwanted substances, we recommend ChemSec's SIN list. Substances on these lists have particularly hazardous properties and may therefore be listed on the candidate list in the future.
If you want to know more about the substance that causes the match, you can search for it on ECHA's website by using the CAS/EC number, or contact our EHS consultants at consulting@intersolia.com who can help you further.
Keep in mind that the restriction list is indicative, i.e. will show all products that have CAS or EC numbers for substances on the list, regardless of area of use or concentration level. If you find products that are not covered by the restrictions, you can choose to exclude them from the list.
While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, this translation may not be entirely error-free. Please consider this when interpreting the information.