New hazard classes: implications and regulatory framework

Concawe Review 33.2 Special REACH Edition - Article 3

Hazard assessment is a critical component of chemical management regulations, serving to identify substance properties that may pose risks to human health and the environment. In response to evolving scientific understanding and regulatory needs, the EU has expanded the classification, labelling and packaging regulation, introducing new hazard classes: endocrine disruption (ED); persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT); and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM). These additions aim to improve the identification and classification of hazardous substances under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability as part of the EU Green Deal. Concawe plays a key role in supporting regulatory chemical assessments of hydrocarbon substances. Through alignment with evolving ECHA guidance and through the development of new methodologies and approaches for hazard assessments, Concawe supports the delivery of pragmatic and scientifically robust hazard assessments to ensure preparedness for new regulatory requirements in Europe.