On January 17, 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the addition of nine chemicals to its Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs). According to the Food Packaging Forum’s Food Contact Chemicals Database (FCCdb), four of the substances have been listed for intentional use in food contact applications. A two more have been detected in migration or extraction experiments according to the FPF’s Database on Migrating and Extractable FCCs (FCCmigex). The six FCCs along with the FPF database they are found in are:
- 1,1′-[ethane-1,2-diylbisoxy]bis[2,4,6-tribromobenzene] (CAS 37853-59-1), FCCmigex
- 2,2′,6,6′-tetrabromo-4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol (TBBPA, CAS 79-94-7), FCCdb + FCCmigex
- 4,4′-sulphonyldiphenol (Bisphenol S, CAS 80-09-1), FCCdb + FCCmigex
- Barium diboron tetraoxide (CAS 13701-59-2), FCCdb
- Melamine (CAS 108-78-1), FCCdb + FCCmigex
- Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA, CAS 375-85-9) and its salts, FCCmigex
Bisphenol S (BPS), melamine, and PFAS such as PFHPA, have been under particular scrutiny in recent years from researchers and civil society organizations due to the growing evidence of exposure and harm (FPF reported, also here and here). ECHA classified BPS as toxic for reproduction and as endocrine disruptor for both humans and the environment. PFHPA as toxic for reproduction; persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic; very persistent and very bioaccumulative; and other “equivalent” concerns. Melamine was included on the candidate list also due to an “equivalent level of concern” to the official hazard classifications such as those above.
Scientific studies linked melamine with impacts on neurological functions, behavior, reproduction, and growth (FPF reported). In March 2022, the Danish Consumer Council Think Chemicals reported that five out of eight tested melamine plastic children’s cups released melamine at levels higher than the legal limit of 2.5 mg/kg even after 20 washes (FPF reported).
The switch from bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) to BPS or between different PFAS chemicals have been held up as examples of regrettable substitution – the switching from one hazardous substance to another, less well studied, substance.
All EU producers of these chemicals or suppliers of products containing chemicals on the SVHC candidate list above a concentration of 0.1% by weight must provide safety information to consumers for safe use of the chemicals and/or products. Companies are also required to notify ECHA under REACH and under the Waste Framework Directive for inclusion in the SCIP database (FPF reported). There are currently 233 chemicals on ECHA’s Candidate List.
Read more
ECHA (January 17, 2023). “ECHA adds nine hazardous chemicals to Candidate List.”
