On Tuesday 3 June, the European Commission proposed restricting the use of chemical substances N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and 1-ethylpyrrolidin-2-one (NEP) in order to protect workers from exposure to these substances, it said in a press release.
This is an amendment to Regulation 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the EU Council. DMAC and NEP are solvents used in many industrial processes, including the production of chemicals, coatings, cleaning products and fibres.
DMAC is commonly used in the manufacture of synthetic fibres and varnishes for electrical wires, while NEP is found in products such as cleaning solutions, agrochemicals and construction materials. These two substances are also used in laboratories, explains the press release.
The new measures, adopted as part of the EU’s Regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), set strict exposure limits for inhalation and skin contact. These limits will protect workers who regularly handle these substances, the press release adds.
The restriction will come into force in 18 months to allow users to adapt to the new requirements. For the use of DMAC in the synthetic fibres sector, a longer transition period of four years is planned.
Specifically, the draft amendment proposes a long-term dermal DNEL for DMAC of 1.8 mg/kg bw/day (derived from animal data from an oral prenatal developmental toxicity study in rats).
For NEP, it recommends a DNEL (long-term inhalation no-effect level) of 4.0 mg/m³. It was proposed that a separate acute local DNEL not be assigned, as the long-term inhalation DNEL value of 4.0 mg/m³ is considered sufficient to prevent local respiratory effects from continuous and repeated exposure to NEP.
The value of 2.4 mg/kg bw/day is proposed as the long-term dermal DNEL for NEP.
Link to proposals: https://aeur.eu/f/h59 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)