European Chemicals Agency Proposes Partial Ban on Hexavalent Chromium Substances
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has proposed to restrict certain hexavalent chromium substances throughout the European Union, the agency announced on April 29. At the request of the European Commission, ECHA has put forward a proposed ban on hexavalent chromium substances, which the agency called “among the most potent workplace carcinogens,” except in certain use cases that meet criteria for worker exposures and environmental emissions. According to ECHA, the “aim is to reduce the harmful effects of these carcinogenic chemicals for both workers and the public.”
Uses of hexavalent chromium expected to be permitted under the proposed restrictions include the formulation of mixtures, electroplating on plastic and metal substrates, primers and other slurries, other surface treatments, and functional additives or process aids. These restrictions would replace the current authorization for hexavalent chromium substances under REACH, the EU’s regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. Barium chloride is also included in the scope of the proposed restriction to avoid what ECHA calls “regrettable substitution.”
ECHA estimates that the proposed restriction could prevent up to 195 cancer cases per year, bring the EU either 331 million or 1.07 billion euros in monetized benefits, depending on the restriction option chosen, and cost the EU either 314 million or 3.23 billion euros. These costs would include measures to reduce environmental releases and worker exposure, closures and relocations, and replacing hexavalent chromium substances with safer alternatives.
Stakeholders are invited to provide information during a six-month consultation period expected to begin on June 18, 2025. Scientific evidence received during the consultations will be considered by ECHA’s Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis in their evaluation of the proposed restriction. ECHA plans to hold an online information session for stakeholders who intend to participate in the consultations. Based on ECHA’s proposal and the committees’ opinion, the European Commission and 27 EU member states will decide on the conditions of the restriction.
More information is available from ECHA’s news release.
