On Friday, 18 July, the European Commission presented the sixth revision of the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD), in which it recommends setting new exposure limits for cobalt and inorganic cobalt compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 1,4-dioxane, according to a press release.
Welding fumes will also be included within the scope of the CMRD.
The European Commission adds that these new proposals are expected to prevent around 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other illnesses—including restrictive lung disease and liver and kidney damage—over the next 40 years. They will make it possible to save up to €1.16 billion in healthcare costs.
For cobalt and inorganic compounds—commonly used in the production of batteries, particularly for electric vehicles, and in manufacturing processes for magnets and hard metals—the proposed limit is 0.01 mg/m³ for particles that can be inhaled through the nose and mouth and 0.0025 mg/m³ for finer particles that can penetrate deeper into the lungs. Transitional limits (0.02 mg/m³ and 0.0042 mg/m³) give industries six years to adapt.
For example, in France, the occupational exposure limit for cobalt, when inhaled, is currently 0.1 mg/m³.
For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—generally present in industries such as steel, iron, and aluminium production and in welding fumes—the new proposed limit value is 0.00007 mg/m³.
In order to make it easier for the most affected sectors to adapt, a temporary limit twice as high will apply for six years after the directive comes into force.
For 1,4-dioxane—a substance used as a solvent in chemical and textile production and in household detergents—the proposed general limit is 7.3 mg/m³ with a short-term exposure limit of 73 mg/m³. Some Member States do not have any regulatory exposure limits for this substance.
A biological limit value for 1,4-dioxane, which must not exceed 45 mg of (2-hydroxyethoxy)acetic acid (HEAA) in urine/g of creatinine, has also been proposed.
Parallel to setting these exposure limits, the European Commission is proposing ‘notations’ (skin, respiratory sensitisation, etc.) that alert employers and workers to possible dermal exposure or some other type of exposure and that indicate when additional protective measures are necessary.
The provisions in the REACH Regulation do not set occupational limit values for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, PAHs, or 1,4-dioxane and do not cover welding fumes either, so “there is no overlap”.
The European Commission is also using the effects on employment and costs to justify the need for transitional periods for businesses, particularly SMEs: “Without any transitional periods for cobalt and its inorganic compounds and PAHs, it was estimated that about 4,000 workers would lose their jobs.”
In addition, the total adjustment costs incurred by the preferred options over 40 years would amount to €3.3 billion. The European Commission indicates, “As 95% of businesses expected to discontinue in the absence of transitional periods were SMEs, the inclusion of transitional measures would mainly benefit them.”
Link to the proposal: https://aeur.eu/f/hxn (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)