In this episode, we dive into the highlights of ECHA's Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis committees' meetings.

First, we explore the ongoing discussions on restricting PFAs, including new sectors like transport and energy. We discuss the challenges of assessing complex sectors, stakeholder engagement, and addressing information gaps on alternatives.

Next, we give an overview of the harmonised classification and labelling proposals for silver nitrate and silicon dioxide, detailing their uses and the committees' conclusions.

Finally, we update you on the Risk Assessment Committee's preparations for the Drinking Water Directive, discussing the development of positive lists and the process for ensuring the safe use of materials in contact with drinking water.

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, Adam Elwan is joined by Roberto Scazzola, Chair of the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC), and María Ottati, Chair of the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC). They discuss highlights of the November committee meetings, focusing on the scientific evaluation of the proposal to restrict PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in sectors such as construction products, textiles and food contact materials and packaging.

Roberto also provides insights into the harmonised classification process under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, while María offers valuable advice for companies preparing applications for authorisation.

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November RAC and SEAC meeting highlights - ECHA news, 5 December 2024

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In this episode we talk about one of the core tools for chemical safety in the workplace: safety data sheets. They contain information on how to safely handle, store, and dispose of chemicals. It is the responsibility of the supplier to provide safety data sheets to their customer when selling hazardous chemicals or mixtures. 

In 2021, new requirements for safety data sheets were introduced under the REACH Regulation, and this year, ECHA’s Enforcement Forum carried out an EU-wide project to check if companies are following these updated rules.

The inspectors found that 35 % of the checked safety data sheets were non-compliant. Compliance has improved from previous projects but further efforts are needed to better protect workers and professional users from the risks of hazardous chemicals.

Our guests are Abdulqadir Mohamad Suleiman, the Norwegian alternate member of ECHA’s Enforcement Forum and the Chair of the working group managing this enforcement project and Maciej Baranski, leading the Harmonised Enforcement Team at ECHA, which contributed to the project.

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• More episodes on the Enforcement Forum 

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, we dive into ECHA’s new initiatives in advancing non-animal testing methods through the New Approach Methodologies Framework Contract.

Our guests, Sylvia Escher from the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, and Tomasz Sobanski from ECHA’s Alternative Methods Team, discuss research projects aimed at transforming how chemicals are assessed for safety.

Useful links

• ECHA to investigate new test method potentially replacing toxicity testing with fish - ECHA news 13 November 2024

• Animal testing under the REACH Regulation

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, Adam Elwan is joined by Roberto Scazzola, Chair of the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC), and María Ottati, Chair of the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC). They talk about the September committee meetings, discussing the scientific evaluation of the proposal to restrict PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) across multiple industries, including petroleum, mining, textiles, and food packaging. 

Additionally, they address the proposal to classify talc as a carcinogenic substance and companies' applications to use chromium VI in the aviation and defense sectors.

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• September RAC and SEAC meeting highlights - ECHA news, 26 September 2024

• RAC meeting agenda and minutes

• SEAC meeting agenda and minutes

• REACH restriction process

• Harmonised classification and labelling

• Risk Assessment Committee

• Socio-Economic Analysis Committee

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, we explore the vital work carried out by the European Chemicals Agency’s Member State Committee. Host Päivi Jokiniemi is joined by Katinka van der Jagt, Chair of the Member State Committee, alongside two of the committee's national members, Katarzyna Malkiewicz from the Swedish Chemicals Agency KEMI, and Agnieszka Dudra from the Polish Bureau for Chemical Substances.

The European Union, a partnership of 27 countries, is committed to building a safer and healthier future. ECHA’s Member State Committee exemplifies this commitment by bringing together representatives from all EU member states to reach consensus on key chemical safety decisions.

Throughout the episode, our guests talk about the unique aspects of the Member State Committee, discussing its tasks, responsibilities, and the collaborative nature of its decision-making process. They highlight the importance of science-based decisions, transparency, and the committee’s role in promoting the substitution and minimisation of harmful substances.

Key topics:

• Committee voting procedure and its impact on committee collaboration

• Generation of experimental data for industrial chemicals and its significance in identifying hazardous substances

• Identification of substances of very high concern, particularly those with endocrine-disrupting properties

• National perspectives on chemical safety priorities and how they influence committee decisions

• Importance of science and legal frameworks in resolving divergences and achieving consensus

• Future challenges, including emerging chemical concerns like nanomaterials, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and the development of non-animal testing methods

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• Member State Committee - who we are

• Member State Committee - meeting agendas and minutes

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In this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, host Adam Elwan is joined by Roberto Scazzola, the Chair of ECHA's Risk Assessment Committee and Maria Ottati who chairs the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee to discuss the ongoing efforts and challenges in regulating harmful chemicals.

The episode focuses on the universal PFAS restriction proposal, addressing its persistency and health impacts, and the committees' approach to evaluating different sectors in batches.

They also explore the initial discussions on harmonising the classification and labelling of talc, and the steps towards recommending occupational exposure limits for bisphenol A (BPA).

Tune in for the latest updates on the committees' work in protecting health and the environment, their socio-economic implications, and the vital role of stakeholder contributions in this complex process.

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• More episodes on the committees for risk assessment and socio-economic analysis 

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• June RAC and SEAC meeting highlights  - ECHA news, 13 June 2024

• Agenda of RAC’s meeting   [PDF] [EN] 

• Agenda of SEAC’s meeting  [PDF] [EN] 

• REACH restriction process 

• Harmonised classification and labelling 

• Risk Assessment Committee 

• Socio-Economic Analysis Committee

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ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee met during the last week of May 2024 and adopted altogether 18 opinions.

Join Päivi Jokiniemi and Joost van Galen, the Chair of the Biocidal Products Committee, in this episode of Safer Chemicals Podcast. They discuss, for example, what happens when the assessment of endocrine disrupting properties is lacking from applications. Joost also comes back to the topic of data gaps and missing information, and reminds companies of their responsibility of making sure that their applications are complete and meet the data requirements under the Biocidal Products Regulation.

The Committee’s task is to prepare scientific opinions for the European Commission on biocidal active substances and on EU-wide authorisations of biocidal products. The Commission takes the final decisions based on these opinions.

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• More episodes on the Biocidal Products Committee meetings

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• ECHA raises concern over missing data in biocides applications - ECHA news, 5 June 2024

• Agenda of the May 2024 BPC meeting [PDF] [EN] 

• Understanding the Biocidal Products Regulation

• Biocidal Products Regulation (528/2012)

• Guidance on biocides legislation

• Biocidal Products Committee (contains also working procedures)

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The Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation, also known as the CLP Regulation, requires companies to classify, label and package their hazardous chemicals appropriately before placing them on the EU market to protect health and the environment but also to ensure free movement of substances, mixtures and article.

In this episode, the host Päivi Jokiniemi and the head of ECHA’s Hazard classification unit, Paul Ryan, talk about the amendment that introduced new hazard classes to the regulation – these entered into force in April 2023.

They will also discuss the ongoing CLP revision that is one of the key deliverables of the European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. While it aims to update and optimise the regulation by ensuring that dangerous chemicals are properly identified, labelled and classified, it is also an important element in Europe’s move towards a toxic free environment.

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• New hazard classes 2023

• Existing guidance for CLP

• ECHA-EFSA guidance on endocrine disruption

• REACH guidance: Information Requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment – chapter R.11: PBT/vPvB assessment

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Welcome to this episode of the Safer Chemicals Podcast, where we look into the EU indicator framework for chemicals, focused on improving chemical safety across Europe.

The transition towards safer and more sustainable chemicals is progressing in some areas, while in others, it is just beginning. This is the finding of a first, joint Europe-wide assessment of the drivers and impact of chemical pollution by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The benchmarking found that more work is still needed to reduce the impact of harmful substances on human health and the environment. 

We are joined by Leena Ylä-Mononen, the Executive Director of EEA and Sharon McGuinness, the Executive Director of ECHA. Together, they discuss the roles their agencies play in developing these indicators. This episode offers an in-depth look at how these agencies work together to support safer chemical management, highlighting the real-world impact of their work on environmental and public health.

We'll explore the challenges faced during the project, the collaboration between various European institutions, and what future developments we might expect in the realm of chemical safety.

Background

According to the joint EEA-ECHA synthesis report on the EU indicator framework for chemicals, the overall use of the most harmful chemicals (in particular those that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic) is still growing but more slowly than the overall chemicals market growth. Pressure is increasing to avoid the use of so-called substances of concern and to implement the principles of the safe and sustainable by design framework. 

There is a need to more effectively ensure that consumer products do not contain the most harmful substances, for example chemicals that are endocrine disrupting, that negatively affect the hormone system, or substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, which present a risk for years to come even after their use has ceased.

More data and information are needed to better understand human and environmental exposure to those most harmful chemicals and their impacts. Still, the indicators show clearly that the shift to safe and sustainable chemicals must continue and should even be accelerated.

Listen to our episode for a deep dive into what the main findings of this initial assessment were and check the online dashboard for more details.

Useful links

• EU Agencies: more work needed to make chemicals safe and sustainable  - ECHA news, 17 April 2024

• Joint EEA-ECHA synthesis report

• Online dashboard

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