The European Chemicals Agency has released online the database containing all the substances of very high concern in products.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), an institution of the European Union focused on implementing EU chemical regulations, has published its Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database, a public database of substances of very high concern in products. The aim is to ensure that the information is publicly available throughout the whole lifecycle of products and materials, allow consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions and help waste operators to further develop the re-use of articles and the recycling of materials.
More than 6,000 companies across the European Union have notified to ECHA the products containing substances of very high concern and the SCIP database now displays more than four million article notifications and the related safe use instructions. Data can be searched by article name or brand, product category, type of material or the chemical name.
“Today’s launch improves access to information on hazardous chemicals in articles on the EU market. It will help to track products containing substances of very high concern until they reach the waste stage, supporting the goals of a circular economy. We encourage everyone to get familiar with the database and use it,” stated Bjorn Hansen, Executive Director of ECHA.
“The launch of the database is a true milestone in bringing transparency about chemicals of concern in products. This wealth of information will be of great value to all, especially consumers, waste operators, and policy-makers. It will enhance the delivery of safe and clean products and secondary materials, fully in line with the priorities on re-use and recycling defined in the EU waste legislation. Thanks to all the companies that promptly submitted information, making the database work. This is a key step in implementing deliverables of the European Green Deal, notably our action plans on circular economy and zero pollution, and our Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability,” added the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.
All the companies selling articles containing more than 0.1 % weight by weight of substances of very high concern within the EU market have to notify them to ECHA.