ECHA Calls for Comments on Skin Sensitizing, Irritative and Corrosive Substances

On 21 May 2018, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) opened a public consultation on various substances which are identified as skin sensitizers, skin irritants or corrosive related to their use in textiles, leather articles and hides and furs. France and Sweden have jointly prepared the associated Annex XV restriction dossier following Article 69 of the REACH.

The list of proposed substances contains 356 entries. This list includes substances with a harmonized classification as Skin Sens. 1/1A/1B and/or Skin Irrit. 2 and/or Skin Corr. 1/1A/1B/1C under EU CLP Regulation (1272/2008/EC.) The main concern relates to any of the listed substances coming into direct contact with human skin.

Affected products

Articles in scope of this public consultation are: any clothing and related accessories, as well as articles other than clothing which come into contact with the human skin under normal or reasonably foreseeable condition of use, such as bed linen, blankets, throws, upholstery (fabric covering chairs, armchairs and sofas etc.), cushion covers, bathrobes, towels, re-usable nappies and sanitary towels, sleeping bags, yarn and fabrics intended for use by the final consumer, carpets, mats and rugs, bags (e.g. handbags, backpacks, briefcases), fashion accessories, and footwear.

Exclusions

Excluded items include: jewelry, glasses and sunglasses, curtains, textile lampshades and wall decorations, napkins and table linen, filling materials in chairs, armchairs and sofas, second hand articles, disposable nappies and sanitary towels, articles within the scope of Regulation 2016/425/EU on personal protective equipment, as well as articles within the scope of Regulation 2017/745/EU on medical devices.

Business impact

Affected industries, such as manufacturers, importers, suppliers or distributors of mixtures used in textile products, leather products, furs and hides are advised to take into consideration this public consultation as it can provide valuable insights on what is planned to be possibly restricted in the future.

By taking part in this public consultation, interested stakeholders can voice their concerns in the process of the formulation of the future regulatory norms. This public consultation will remain open until 23:59 Helsinki time on 3 August 2018. Comments can be submitted via ECHA's comment submission platform.