A follow up on ECHA’s report concerning the mapping of the chemical universe and recommendations for authorities.

  • May 13, 2020
  • Reachlaw Marketing

ECHA has just published its second report on integrated regulatory strategy. Which outlines the progress made so far in the mapping of the chemical universe. From 2019 ECHA has adopted a group-based strategy for classifying chemicals in contrast to on a substance-to-substance basis. With this method ECHA has since then classified around 220 substances of high annual volume (+100T/a) You can read more about the mapping of the chemical universe here: https://www.reachlaw.fi/over-21-000-reach-registered-substances-mapped-by-regulatory-action/

With the strategy of grouping similar chemicals together, the amount of not-yet-assigned, high volume substances has been reduced to ~2400. The strategy has also allowed ECHA to classify 300 low volume substances in 2019. The goal of the integrated regulatory strategy is to have classified all registered substances by 2027. The report also came with recommendations for the authorities on how to utilise the strategy for chemical evaluations. 


Report’s recommendations

It gives the following recommendations:

  •  Screening groups of substances, data generation and assessment should be further optimised to ensure substances are progressed to regulatory risk management without delay.
  • Harmonised classification and labelling should become a priority, as it has a direct impact on company-level risk management, and is often the step before restriction, authorisation or other measures under other pieces of legislation are taken.
  • The priority and appropriateness of previously identified, but still pending, follow-up actions should be reviewed and those substances which need further regulatory risk management should be progressed without delay.
  • The compliance of registration information needs to be improved, in particular, for substances with a high potential for exposure and currently lacking appropriate hazard data.
  • Compliance of dossiers, their systematic review and updates of registrations based on new information, remains industry’s responsibility. ECHA welcomes the initiative of industry associations to develop review programmes to help registrants review chemical safety data.
  • Further enhance cooperation and coordination between authorities.

(Source: ECHA) 

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