Substance evaluation starts under REACH: The first list of substances published
The first Community Rolling Action plan (CoRAP) addresses 90 substances that are suspected of posing risk to human health or the environment. The CoRAP list has been prepared in close cooperation with the Member States, taking into account the agreed risk based criteria for the selection of substances. ECHA has adopted the CoRAP on the basis of the favourable opinion of ECHA's Member State Committee (MSC), which was adopted by consensus on 9 February 2012.
Substance evaluation is the process under REACH that allows for the clarification of risks. Following the evaluation, further information may be requested from the registrants of the substances when additional data is considered necessary to clarify the suspected risk.
Substance Evaluation is an important tool for increasing information on chemicals. The safe use of chemicals can now be better addressed and promoted in cooperation with the Member States, says ECHA's Executive Director Geert Dancet.
In the CoRAP, the grounds for the initial concerns are briefly described for each substance. In many cases, the concerns are related to potential persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity, endocrine disruption, or carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and toxicity to reproduction, in combination with wide dispersive or consumer use(s). In general, the uses of these substances cover various areas and do not focus on any particular industrial, professional or consumer uses. Nor were certain groups of substances specifically targeted for the first CoRAP.
The CoRAP also indicates the Member State which is responsible for the evaluation of each substance. In 2012, 36 substances will be evaluated by 17 Member States. The remainder have been listed for 2013 and 2014, but the number and selection of substances listed for those years is expected to be amended in the annual updates of the CoRAP.
From the publication of the CoRAP, the respective Member States have one year to evaluate substances specified for the year 2012 and, where justified, to prepare a draft decision requesting the registrant(s) to submit further information to clarify any possible risk. The decision will be taken by ECHA after consultation of the Member State Competent Authorities and the MSC, or by the European Commission if there is no unanimity at the MSC. As for other evaluation decisions, registrants of the substances listed on the CoRAP will have opportunities to comment before any final decision is taken.
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