The goal of Article 55 REACH, is to properly control the risks arising from substances of very high concern (SVHC), and that these substances are progressively replaced by suitable alternative substances or technologies where these are economically and technically viable.

The so-called SVHC Roadmap 2020 aims to have all relevant and currently known SVHC included in the Candidate List by 2020. The planned steps to achieve this objective are defined in the SVHC Roadmap implementation plan, foreseeing screening methods and Assessment of Regulatory Needs (ARN) to identify potential SVHC and the best risk management measures.

The inclusion of a substance in the Candidate List already creates legal obligations for companies manufacturing, importing or using such substances, whether on their own, in mixtures or in articles. Manufacturers, importers or downstream users shall not place a substance on the market for a use or use it themselves if that substance has been included in Annex XIV (authorisation list), unless an authorisation has been granted.

Companies should be aware of the impending regulatory constraints at an early stage in order to anticipate upcoming obligations and to start looking for possible alternatives. The REACH&CLP Helpdesk informs you regularly on the status of SVHC and potential new SVHC.