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| Europe requires chemicals of concern to be used with specific authorization. |
In a separate action, Austria, Denmark, Germany and Sweden announced their intent to nominate an additional 10 chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHC).
The European Commission regulation, published in the Aug. 19 Official Journal of the European Union, carries out recommendations made by the European Chemicals Agency in 2013.
The regulation places nine chemicals on the Annex 14 list of the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (REACH) regulation (EC 1907/2006).
Listing in Annex 14 means the substance can't be used without specific authorization. The Aug. 19 regulation includes deadlines by which authorization requests must be filed. Depending on the chemical, the deadlines fall between Feb. 22, 2016, and July 22, 2017.
Steel-coating chemical of concern
Among the nine chemicals is strontium chromate (EC No. 232-142-6; CAS No. 7789-06-2), which is made in or imported into the European Union in a total volume ranging between 1,000 metric tons and 10,000 metric tons (1,102-11,023 U.S. short tons) per year, ECHA said in a background document supporting its recommendation. Much of that is exported, ECHA added.
Coil coating refers to steel that is coated, often including a layer of zinc, during the manufacturing process, as opposed to coating in batches after production. Flat-rolled steel is often shipped in rolls known as coils.
Wayne Pigment Corp. is the main U.S. company making strontium chromate, while Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. is among the chemical's importers.
Strontium chromate primarily is used to protect steel and zinc in coil-coated galvanized steel, ECHA said. The coil-coated metal mainly is used in buildings.
Much smaller quantities of strontium chromate are used in primers, sealants, joint compounds and top coat paints for aerospace applications and in anticorrosion primers, in fillers and sealants for the construction and maintenance of heavy duty vehicles and trucks, military vehicles and agricultural equipment, ECHA said.
Other chemicals added to the list:
- Ethylene dichloride, also known as 1,2-dichloroethane. The most common use of 1,2-dichloroethane is to make vinyl chloride, which is used to make a variety of plastic and vinyl products, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, furniture and automobile upholstery, wall coverings, housewares and automobile parts. The uses that would be subject to authorization are 1,2-dichloroethane's use as a solvent and as an ingredient in chemical mixtures, ECHA said.
- Oligomeric reaction products of formaldehyde with aniline (technical MDA);
- Arsenic acid;
- Bis(2-methoxyethyl) ether (diglyme);
- 2,2'-dichloro-4,4'-methylenedianiline;
- Dichromium tris(chromate);
- Potassium hydroxyoctaoxodizincatedichromate
- Pentazinc chromate octahydroxide
Member States Propose 10 SVHCs
Meanwhile, on Aug. 4 Austria, Denmark, Germany and Sweden filed information to support the nomination of several phthalates and other chemicals among 10 compounds they said should be classified as substances of very high concern.
Those 10 chemicals are:
- Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- 2-benzotriazol-2-yl-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol (UV-320)
- Dibutyl phthalate
- 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-ditertpentylphenol (UV-328)
- Cadmium sulphate
- Cadmium fluoride
- 2-ethylhexyl 10-ethyl-4,4-dioctyl-7-oxo-8-oxa-3,5-dithia-4-stannatetradecanoate
- Diisobutyl phthalate
- Benzyl butyl phthalate
- A reaction chemical proposed by Austria
Source: Bloomberg News
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