HELSINKI – The European Chemicals Agency this week published proposals to identify eight chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and possible candidates for authorization.

The substances, which include trichloroethylene; boric acid; disodium tetraborate, anhydrous; tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate; sodium chromate; potassium chromate; ammonium dichromate; and potassium dichromate, are proposed because of their potentially serious effects on human health.

The deadline to comment on the proposals is April 22. The proposals are available on the ECHA website: http://echa.europa.eu/doc/press/pr_10_03_svhc_consultation_20100308.pdf.

Industry reaction was quick. On a popular industry email forum, it was pointed out that boric acid is listed as an ingredient in E-glass fabrics, a base material for laminate. “The loss of E-glass in laminate would probably be worse than the lead-free issue,” said Denny Fritz, a materials expert with SAIC. Fluoroborate plating also was noted as a substance once used in circuit board fabrication, and possibly not yet completely eliminated.

The recommended substances are now on a list for discussion on whether they should be classified as a SVHC. Inclusion on that list for discussion is not the same as being banned. Nevertheless, it raises the odds that use of the substances could be severely restricted or banned in the future. As Julia Lietzmann, an attorney at the Levinson Environmental Law Firm in Haifa, Israel, noted on the email forum, “The ban is not the immediate effect. However, a ban has become more likely. .. The ultimate goal is, in fact, to eliminate the substances from the community market as far as possible.”

In a press release, ECHA said comments should focus primarily on the hazardous properties that qualify the chemicals as SVHCs. In addition, interested parties can provide comments and further information on the uses, exposures and availability of safer alternative substances or techniques. They should be aware that these aspects will mainly be considered at the next stage of the process (i.e., selection of substances for authorization), which includes a new round of public consultation.

The Member State Committee will review these comments when seeking an agreement on the identification as SVHC before ECHA includes these substances on the Candidate List, from which substances are selected for authorization. Substances that appear on the Authorization List can, after a transition period, only be used if a specific authorization is granted.

According to the ECHA, three EU Member States – Denmark, France and Germany – were responsible for the proposals.

There are already 29 substances on the Candidate List. Inclusion on that list means new information requirements for suppliers of preparations and articles containing the substances.

Some of the Member States are seeking to extend national limits on the proposed SVHC. Trichloroethylene, for example, is banned in Germany, except in totally emissions-free equipment.