REACH Adds New Substance to Its SVHC List - June 2024

Overview of REACH’s SVHC List

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) manages the European Union's (EU) REACH regulation, which aims to enhance protections for human health and the environment. This regulation applies to all chemical substances, not just industrial ones, affecting most companies across the EU. It establishes a procedure for collecting and assessing information on the hazards of substances, determining whether they should be managed under the substances of very high concern (SVHC) list or, if their risks are unmanageable, added to the restricted list. The ECHA considers new substances for the SVHC list every six months.

REACH’s June 2024 Update

The ECHA has submitted one new substance to the SVHC list for the second update in 2024. This brings the SVHC list up from 240 to 241 substances. Manufacturers and importers must declare SVHC content above the limit of 0.1% weight by weight in all articles, which includes the SCIP notifications. You can find the complete SVHC list on the ECHA website here. 

Here is the new substance, along with its reason for inclusion on the SVHC list as well as its common uses:

Which Components Contain Dicumyl Peroxide?

Analysis by Z2Data, which examined its database of one billion components with full materials disclosures (FMD), found that over 10,000 parts contain the new substance of very high concern. 

A majority of the parts identified were:

• Linear Voltage Regulators
• Microcontrollers
• Operational Amplifiers

Why Do Components Contain Dicumyl Peroxide?

This substance is primarily used as an initiator for polymerization in the production of plastics and rubbers as a flame retardant, according to the dossiers published by ECHA. Most notably, it’s used specifically as an initiator for the production of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). LDPE is a common component of packaging materials as well as housing for electrical components.

Other Substances Under Consideration by the ECHA

An additional substance (Triphenyl phosphate or TPhP) was being considered for addition to the SVHC list as well; however, new information became available without enough time to review. ECHA has suspended the process for this REACH update in order to allow for the new data to be properly evaluated.

Want to See How Your Products Are Affected?

To stay compliant, companies need a solution that quickly shows how new and existing regulations affect their products. Traditional solutions rely on surveying, which can take weeks or months for results. In contrast, Z2Data’s hybrid approach combines data on over one billion components with surveying to provide a clear, holistic view of product compliance status. 

With FMD information instantly available in Z2Data's database, companies can proactively address regulatory updates like the latest REACH restrictions. Contact a Z2Data supply chain specialist today to book a custom demo and build a resilient compliance program for your products.