Committee for Socio-economic Analysis concludes on restricting D4 and D5

Committee for Socio-economic Analysis concludes on restricting D4 and D5

ECHA/NA/16/23

The Committee also agreed on 31 draft opinions on applications for authorisation.

Helsinki, 11 June 2016 – The Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) held its plenary meeting from 31 May to 9 June 2016 where it concluded on the following matters.

Restriction proposal on octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5)

SEAC adopted its opinion on the proposal from the United Kingdom to restrict the use of the siloxane substances D4 and D5 in "wash-off" personal care products, such as shower gels, shaving foams and shampoos. These uses are a major source of these substances to the aquatic environment in the EU. D4 is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substance and D5 is a very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substance. Due to these properties, the substances have a potential to accumulate in the environment and cause effects that are unpredictable in the long-term and difficult to reverse.

Having considered the nine comments received during the public consultation on the SEAC draft opinion, which was agreed in March 2016, SEAC made some modifications and clarifications to the justification of its opinion and confirmed its view that the restriction of the use of siloxane substances D4 and D5 in "wash-off" personal care products should enter into force two years after publication in the official journal.

Applications for authorisation

SEAC agreed on 29 draft opinions on the uses of hexavalent chromium compounds, mainly in various types of functional chrome plating, use in electronics industry, and corrosion inhibition. Two other draft opinions were on the specific solvent use applications of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) and bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether (Diglyme).

The Committee also discussed the key issues identified in the 14 applications for authorisation of chromates, eight applications on the uses of EDC, six applications on the uses of Diglyme and one application on the uses of oligomeric reaction products of formaldehyde with aniline (technical MDA). These applications were received in the February 2016 submission window.