Safeware Quasar’s fourth annual conference took place on 4th March, providing an opportunity for regulatory experts and specialists to consider the numerous upcoming regulatory requirements.

A record number of delegates from across the globe attended the event to help prepare for the impact of forthcoming regulatory changes. Topics included the obligations associated with REACH, GHS, transportation and biocides, while updates on Safeware Quasars activity and Turkish chemical regulations were also discussed.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published proposals to identify eight chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and possible candidates for authorisation.

The chemicals, which include trichloroethylene, sodium chromate, boric acid and potassium chromate, were proposed by Denmark, France and Germany. Boric acid is not permitted in soaps and shampoos awarded the EU Ecolabel. Europe has already classified trichloroethylene as a probable carcinogen, which led to a drop in sales of the chemical.

The Evaluation Report describes the progress the Agency has made in evaluating REACH registration dossiers in 2009. The report also provides recommendations to registrants so that they can improve the quality of their dossiers.

In 2009 the Agency received 406 complete registration dossiers and initiated evaluation of 35 of them (27 compliance checks, 8 examinations of testing proposals).

Afsset, the French agency for environmental and occupational health safety, is backing a labelling system to describe the pollutant emissions of building materials and decoration products. The agency has published a protocol to qualify emissions, and identify materials and products with "low emission" levels.

Afsset is targeting volatile organic compounds such as hydrocarbons, alcohols and aldehydes, which are pollutants contributing to a deterioration in the quality of indoor air. It has identified 165 main compounds which can be potentially emitted by building and decoration products and can have an impact on health.

The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI) presented the report ‘Safe Use of Nanomaterials – Need for Regulation and Other Measures’ to the government on 25th February 2010.

The report is in response to a government remit to analyse the need for regulation or other measures in the EU and to nationally attain a good evaluation of the environmental and health risks associated with nanomaterials.

There is growing concern that combined exposure to chemicals, such as those used in agriculture and industry, from different sources may have adverse effects on human health, even if each individual substance is below its own risk limit.

Read More

The new version of IUCLID includes several updates of the OECD Harmonised Templates used to report information from studies on chemicals.

The latest revisions of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling and its European implementation (the CLP Regulation) have also been integrated. Sections 3.2, 3.5 and 3.6 have been overhauled for reporting information on uses, and the endpoint summaries where experts can store the outcome of their evaluation per endpoint have also been extended in order to optimise the use of IUCLID with chemical assessment tools.

Read More

Applying REACH's 0.1 percent threshold for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) to "complex" products, such as toys and shoes, rather than each individual part they are made of may "dilute" their SVHC concentrations, according to a Nordic Council report.

Read More

The European Commission is considering further restrictions on cadmium use. An EU consultancy report proposes to ban the substance in brazing alloys and jewellery, but says restrictions in PVC should be relaxed.

The Commission may strengthen existing cadmium restrictions in annex XVII of the REACH regulation, since a scientific assessment from the Joint Research Centre in 2007 found additional risks from cadmium use.