Shin Dorn’s PVC Glue Passed SVHC Testing

It stands to reason that goods containing chemical substances have to comply with the regulations of the countries to which the goods are imported. To be imported to EU countries, for example, PVC glue has to conform to regulations including REACH and SVHC, as well as EN 71-3. It should be noted that these regulations are not set in stone but rather updated at regular intervals. Here let us get to know more about the list of SVHC.

What is SVHC?

SVHC is the abbreviation of Substances of Very High Concern. The list of SVHC refers to more than one hundred chemical substances proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that they have negative impacts to human health or to the environment and are subject to authorization and restricted use under the REACH regulation.

The listing of a SVHC is managed by the European Chemicals Agency. The first list of SVHCs includes 15 chemical substances on October 28, 2008. The list has been updated 14 more times to include more substances. The last update is on June 20, 2016, and the list already includes 169 SVHCs by then.

A substance may be added to the list of SVHC if it meets one or more of the criteria set in Article 57 of the REACH Regulation: 1) it is carcinogenic; 2) it is mutagenic; 3) it is toxic for reproduction; 4) it is persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic according to the criteria set out in Annex XIII to the REACH Regulation; 5) there is “scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health or the environment which give rise to an equivalent level of concern”; such substances are identified on a case-by-case basis.

Not all substances that meet one or more of the criteria are included on the list of SVHC because many such substances are already subject to restricted use according to Annex XVII of the REACH regulation. SVHC is more of a supplementary listing to current REACH regulations.

Substances that require high concern have to do with: 1) PBT substances and vPvB substances; 2) substances which are widely dispersed during use; 3) substances which are used in large quantities.

What is the procedure for a substance to be listed? Either the European Commission or any Member States of the European Union can propose to include a certain substance on the list of SVHC. If the substance meets one or more of the criteria, it is to be included. Also, the European Chemicals Agency will consult public comment on these proposals.

Once a substance has been listed as an SVHC, a technical analysis will be conducted by authorized laboratories to determine the proper manufacture, imports, uses and releases of the substance. Based on the report of the technical analysis, the European Chemicals Agency may recommend the European Commission to add the substance to Annex XIV of the REACH Regulation, according to which the use of the substance will be subject to authorization. This is the reason that the list of SVHC is also called as “candidate list”.

In short, SVHC is a list of chemical substances for which the European Chemicals Agency is CONSIDERING imposing a requirement for authorization. Currently, manufacturers or importers of goods that contain more than 0.1% by weight of any SVHC must provide adequate information on the safe use and disposal of the article.

Shin Dorn’s PVC glue is sent for testing regularly and no more than 0.1% of any SVHC is present in the glue. Shin Dorn is attentive to the latest regulations of the countries to which the products are imported. For further information on import/export issues for PVC glue, please feel free to contact Shin Dorn.