Latest chemicals news for Northern Ireland - updated 5 May 2025
Date published:
Latest chemicals news for Northern Ireland - updated 5 May 2025.
25 June 2025 CLP update
Consultation on harmonised classification and labelling
ECHA are looking for comments on the harmonised classification and labelling proposal for:
- propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (EC 202-307-7, CAS 94-13-3).
Have your say by 22 August 2025
18 June 2025 REACH update
Consultation on proposed restriction of certain chromium(VI) oxides, oxyacids and salts
ECHA has submitted a proposal to restrict the use of certain chromium(VI) oxides, oxyacids and salts with carcinogenic properties.
The consultation is open until 18 December 2025.
ECHA`s scientific committees welcome early comments by 18 September 2025 to assist them in first discussions of the proposal.
ECHA have launched new consultations on 64 testing proposals.
Have your say until 4 August 2025.
Consultations on harmonised classification and labelling
ECHA are looking for comments on the harmonised classification and labelling (CLH) proposals for:
- 2,2-dimethyl-3-(morpholin-4-yl)propanal (EC -, CAS 23588-51-4);
- 4-morpholinecarbaldehyde (EC 224-518-3, CAS 4394-85-8);
- Reaction products of 2,2-dimethyl-3-(morpholin-4-yl)propanal and propylidynetrimethanol, propoxylated, reaction products with ammonia (EC -, CAS -); and
- flocoumafen (ISO); reaction mass of: cis-4-hydroxy-3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-(4-(4-trifluoromethylbenzyloxy)phenyl)-1-naphthyl)coumarin and trans-4-hydroxy-3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-(4-(4-trifluoromethylbenzyloxy)phenyl)-1-naphthyl)coumarin (EC 421-960-0, CAS 90035-08-8).
Have your say until 15 August 2025.
- bromuconazole (ISO); 2,5-anhydro-4-bromo-1,3,4-trideoxy-2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentitol; 1-[(2RS,4RS;2RS,4SR)-4-bromo-2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)tetrahydrofurfuryl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole (EC 408-060-3, CAS 116255-48-2).
Have your say until 18 August 2025.
28 May 2025 CLP update
Consultations on harmonised classification and labelling
ECHA are looking for comments on the harmonised classification and labelling proposals for:
- trifluoroacetic acid .… % (EC 200-929-3, CAS 76-05-1);
- sodium trifluoroacetate; [1] and other inorganic salts of trifluoroacetic acid [2] (EC 220-879-6 [1] - [2], CAS 2923-18-4 [1] - [2]);
- di(morpholin-4-yl) disulphide (EC 203-103-0, CAS 103-34-4);
- N,N'-hexane-1,6-diylbis[2,2-dimethyl-3-(morpholin-4-yl)propan-1-imine] (EC -, CAS 1217271-49-2); and
- N-[3-({[2,2-dimethyl-3-(morpholin-4-yl)propylidene]amino}methyl)-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl]-2,2-dimethyl-3-(morpholin-4-yl)propan-1-imine (EC -, CAS 1217271-02-7).
Have your say until 25 July 2025.
28 May 2025 REACH update
New intentions to identify SVHCs
ECHA have received intentions for identification as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) for:
- 4,4'-methylenediphenol (EC 210-658-2, CAS 620-92-8), expected date of submission: August 2025.
- 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol (BPAF) and its salts (EC -, CAS -), expected date of submission: August 2025.
- 1,1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) (EC 284-366-9, CAS 84852-53-9), expected date of submission: June 2025.
To facilitate the potential identification of DBDPE as an SVHC, we will organise an ad hoc SVHC consultation. This will support the restriction work on brominated flame retardants and align with the deadline for a possible transfer of the substance, through a delegated act, directly to Annex VI of the CLP Regulation.
The consultation is expected to launch on 27 June 2025, with a deadline of 11 August 2025.
14 May 2025 - REACH update
New guideline for measuring formaldehyde releases and concentrations
The European Commissions Agency (ECHA) have published a guideline which explains how to measure formaldehyde releases from articles and its concentrations inside vehicles, following the requirements set out in Appendix 14 of the EU-wide restriction of formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers. The restriction starts applying in August 2026.
The guideline was prepared at the request of the European Commission.
For more information please see the following link:
ECHA's completed activities on restriction - (ECHA website)
2 April 2025 - REACH update
European Commission restricts PAHs in clay targets
On 1 April 2025, the Commission adopted an EU-wide restriction on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in clay targets for shooting. Each year, it is estimated that at least 270 tonnes of these toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative substances are released into the environment from clay target shooting. The new restriction is expected to reduce these emissions by 99%.
In addition to environmental benefits, the restriction will also reduce the exposure for workers and the public handling or shooting clay targets, lowering the associated cancer risk. It will start applying from 22 April 2026.
PAHs are found in binders, such as petroleum pitch, which are used to produce clay targets.
The restriction proposal was prepared by ECHA in October 2021. ECHA`s scientific committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis supported the proposal in their 2022 opinions.
For more information please see the following link:
4 December 2024 - REACH update
Submission of octocrilene restriction proposal postponed
France's submission of the Annex XV restriction proposal on octocrilene (EC 228-250-8, CAS 6197-30-4) is postponed to 18 July 2025.
For more information see the following link:
Compliance date for industrial use only mixtures approaching
From 1 January 2024 all new poison centre notifications must comply with the harmonised information requirements. These include the full chemical composition, the toxicological information, information about the product and the unique formula identifier (UFI) according to Annex VIII to the CLP Regulation. The 1 January 2024 compliance date brings onboard also the mixtures for industrial use only.