REACH Restrictions Annex XVII
Selling in Europe? You must be aware of the various restrictions in place under REACH.
What is REACH?
REACH (EC 1907/2006) aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances. This is done by the four processes of REACH, namely the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. REACH also aims to enhance innovation and competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.
REACH includes various Annexes which outline the various restrictions that must be disclosed on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and sometimes the Label.
Annex XVII provides the Chemical name, EC and CAS number, with the relevant entry describing the restriction.
One of the more recent entries is “74” which adopted restrictions for diisocyantes. According to the American Chemistry Council “Diisocyanates (DII) are a family of versatile building blocks used to make a wide range of polyurethane products. Every day, we rely on products made possible from DII chemistry such as footwear, insulation for our homes, furniture, and the cars we drive, to name a few.”
This family of chemical is quite nasty in that they are both skin and respiratory sensitizers. These autoimmune reactions can happen, even with wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
True story…my son worked inspecting seat cushions. He had worked there about a week when he broke out in hives. He thought he had encountered peanuts, a known allergy. When he went home, they went away. This pattern repeated itself each day. I contacted the company and asked to see an SDS on the product. Sure enough, they were made using diisocyantes. Within a brief time, even wearing PPE from head to toe, the hives turned into welts within moments of walking into the facility. That is the way sensitization works. Unfortunately, he was forced to look for a different job.
Under restriction 74, the employee must receive adequate training, and “the following statement is placed on the packaging, in a manner that is visibly distinct from the rest of the label information: “As from 24 August 2023 adequate training is required before industrial or professional use”
Need to understand if there are any ingredients restricted in one of your products?
Have ICC Compliance Center prepare a REACH compliance SDS for you. Contact us today.
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