On Tuesday 18 November, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recommended that the European Commission add four substances to the REACH authorisation list, the EU Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.
The substances concerned are: - melamine; - barium diborate tetraoxide; - S-(tricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6]deca-3-ene-8(or 9)-yl) O-(isopropyl or isobutyl or 2-ethylhexyl) O-(isopropyl or isobutyl or 2-ethylhexyl) phosphorodithioate; Diphenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide. They were on the candidate priority list of substances of very high concern.
The inclusion of melamine could “create a significant workload for companies and authorities”, said Ofelia Bercaru, Director of Prioritisation and Integration. But the European Chemicals Agency “considered that the balance between the risks posed by melamine and its continued use requires a political decision by the Commission and the EU Member States”, it specified.
The European Commission will have to decide whether or not to include these four substances on the authorisation list. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)