European Agency Adds Processing Aid to Hazardous Chemicals List

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently announced the addition of the chemical bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide to its Candidate List of substances of very high concern for authorization. Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide is used as a processing aid and as a flame retardant, according to ECHA’s news update. The substance was added to the hazardous chemicals list because it is toxic for reproduction.

A substance “infocard” published by ECHA states that bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide can cause serious eye irritation and may also cause an allergic skin reaction; a majority of companies that have submitted data to ECHA about the substance agree that it is skin sensitizing, the agency explains. The infocard also provides information related to hazard classification and labeling and other properties of concern. PubChem, the open chemistry database of the National Institutes of Health, describes bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide, also known as dicumyl peroxide, as “often highly toxic and irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.”

The Candidate List now contains 241 substances. Identifying a chemical as a substance of very high concern and including it in the Candidate List is the first step of the authorization procedure under REACH, the European Union’s Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals.

For more information, see ECHA’s news update.

Related: A feature article published in the November 2019 issue of The Synergist focuses on dermal sensitizers.