EU REACH Candidate List Updated with Two New Substances

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has updated the REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs), increasing the total number of entries to 253.

The update, published on 4 February 2026, includes the following substances:

• n-hexane, added due to concerns related to specific target organ toxicity following repeated exposure
• 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts, added due to reproductive toxicity

These substances are used in a range of industrial applications, including polymer processing, formulations, coatings, cleaning agents, and as process regulators or cross-linking agents.

The inclusion of Triphenyl Phosphate on the SVHC list triggers several obligations for companies under the REACH regulation:

Suppliers must provide recipients with information on the safe use of articles containing more than 0.1% of the substance.
Companies must respond to consumer requests for information within 45 days.
Importers and manufacturers may need to notify ECHA if they export over one ton per year of articles containing more than 0.1% of the substance.
The substance must be reported to ECHA's SCIP database if present in articles above 0.1%.

Companies dealing with those two SVHCs should review their products and processes to ensure compliance with these new requirements. This addition to the Candidate List may also lead to future placement on the Authorisation List, potentially requiring companies to seek authorization for continued use. 

This regulatory update is reflected in CDX for information and assessment purposes. To learn more about how this update is addressed in CDX, please visit the related update on our website.