Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union regulation dating from 18 December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment. REACH entered into force on 1 Jun. 2007, and applied on 1 Jun. 2008. It becomes a harmonised regulation concerning preventative administration on all chemicals to be placed on the EU market superseding more than 40 directives and regulations for chemical management. REACH is also applicable to protective masks (type FFP2 or FFP3), protective glasses and face shields, protective gloves and garments, etc.

* Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is defined as Article

Candidate List*——SVHC

SVHC, “Substance of Very High Concern”, refers to any substance that has adverse effects on human health and the environment. Strictly speaking, the list of SVHCs serves as a candidate list for List of Substances Subject to Authorisation.

According to Article 57 of the REACH Regulation, substances that have one or more of the following hazardous characteristics that causing high concern will be included to the SVHCs list:

• Substances which are Class1, Class2 carcinogenic, teratogenic, reproductively toxic, namely CMR1/2 substances;

• Substances which are Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, namely PBT substances;

• Substances which are highly persistent and highly bioaccumulative, namely vPvB substances;

• Substances such as those having endocrine disrupting properties or those having persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties or very persistent and very bioaccumulative properties, which do not fulfill the criteria of points 2 or 3-for which there is scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health or the environment.

With the progress of the implementation of REACH, ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) has successively published a multi-batch SVHC list. As of January 16, 2020, the SVHC list has been updated to the 22nd batch, with a total of 205 substances.

Any producer or importer of articles shall submit a registration to ECHA for any substance contained in those articles, if both the following conditions are met: (a) the substance is present in those articles in quantities totalling over 1 tonne per producer or importer per year; (b) the substance is intended to be released under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use.

Restricted substances RSL

Restricted substances are in the Annex XVII (also known as Restrictions on the Manufacture, Placing on the Market and Use of Certain Dangerous Substances, Preparations and Articles) to REACH. Any substance on their own, in a preparation or in an article should be restricted on