EU REACH – ECHA Adds Triphenyl Phosphate to the Candidate List

Vol. 1432 | 19 Nov 2024

On November 7, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) added Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) Candidate List. TPhP has endocrine-disrupting properties and is used as a flame retardant and as a plasticiser. The committee’s discussion on including the substance was originally scheduled for June but was delayed due to substantial new information regarding its properties.

 

Summary of the addition of TPhP to the Candidate List

With the addition of TPhP, the SVHC Candidate List now contains 242 entries for chemicals that can harm people or the environment. The key information of TPhP is summarized in the table below.

Substance name	EC number	CAS number	Reason for inclusion	Examples of uses
Triphenyl Phosphate (TPhP)	204-112-2	115-86-6	Endocrine disrupting properties (Article 57(f) - environment)	Flame Retardant, Plasticiser

 

Consequences of inclusion on the Candidate List

Under Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), companies have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List.

If an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1 % (weight by weight), suppliers must provide their customers and consumers with information on how to use it safely. Consumers have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Importers and producers of articles must notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months from the date it has been included in the list (in the case of TPhP, it would be within six months from November 7, 2024).

European and European Economic Area (EEA) suppliers of substances on the Candidate List, supplied either on their own or in mixtures, have to update the safety data sheet they provide to their customers.

Notification Obligations under the Waste Framework Directive

Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies also must notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is published in ECHA’s database of substances of concern in products (SCIP).

If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Kathy Leung (Kathy.Leung@intertek.com) or Dr. Ben Cheng (Ben.PS.Cheng@intertek.com)