EU REACH Committee agrees four restrictions

The EU REACH Comitology Committee has voted positively on four restrictions proposed by the EU Commission for cadmium, lead in jewellery, phenylmercury compounds and mercury in measuring devices. A three month period of scrutiny will start shortly, with publication in the Official Journal likely mid-August.

The new version lists the names polymers for which cadmium or its compounds can not be present in quantities equal to or greater than 0.01% by weight of the plastic material. The newly-agreed restriction will be back-dated to 10 December 2011.

The restriction on lead in jewellery places a limit of 0.05% by weight on the concentration of the substance in individual parts of jewellery; a list of jewellery articles is also specified along with a list of derogations including: crystal glass, internal components of watch timepieces inaccessible to consumers, non-synthetic or reconstructed precious and semiprecious stones, unless they have been treated with lead or its compounds or mixtures containing these substances, and certain enamels. Furthermore, articles placed on the market for the first time a year after the restriction enters into force and those items produced before 10 December 1961, will be covered by derogation.

The restriction on a range of mercury-containing measuring devices for industrial and professional use being placed on the market will come into effect 18 months following publication of the restriction in the Official Journal. The restriction covers various measuring devices, including barometers, hygrometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, strain gauges to be used with plethysmographs, tensiometers, and thermometers and other non-electrical thermometric applications. Specific uses of some of these devices will be permitted in certain circumstances detailed in the restriction.

In the fourth restriction, phenylmercury acetate, phenylmercury propionate, phenylmercury 2-ethylhexanoate, phenylmercury octanoate and phenylmercury neodecanoate shall not be manufactured, placed on the market or used as substances, or in mixtures, in articles or parts of articles if the concentration of mercury is equal to or greater than 0.01% by weight. The restriction will apply five years after entry into force.