ECHA CHEM Adds Batteries Restrictions and OEL Evaluations

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has expanded its public chemicals database, ECHA CHEM, with two additional information sources: the Batteries restriction list and occupational exposure limit (OEL) substance evaluations.

The update was published on 5 October 2026. It is part of ECHA’s wider transition towards ECHA CHEM as its central public database for chemical and regulatory information.

Batteries restriction list

The new Batteries restriction list brings together restrictions on substances in batteries established under the EU Batteries Regulation. It provides battery manufacturers, importers and other supply-chain actors with a central point of access to the relevant regulatory information.

Under the Batteries Regulation, ECHA supports the European Commission in assessing substances used in battery manufacturing or present in batteries placed on the market. Where a substance may pose a risk to human health or the environment that is not adequately controlled, the Commission can request ECHA to prepare a restriction proposal.

The restriction process is aligned with the approach used under REACH. It can include scientific opinions from ECHA’s Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-economic Analysis, stakeholder consultation, publication of supporting documents and adoption of the final restriction by the European Commission.

OEL substance evaluations

Information on occupational exposure limit substance evaluations has also been migrated from ECHA’s website to ECHA CHEM.

Occupational exposure limits are health-based limits intended to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals in the workplace. As part of the OEL process, ECHA prepares scientific reports for consideration by its Committee for Risk Assessment.

The OEL evaluation list can help companies and other stakeholders follow ongoing scientific and regulatory work on substances that may be considered for EU-level workplace exposure limits.

What this means for companies

The update does not introduce new legal obligations. Instead, it makes existing regulatory information easier to access by bringing additional databases and regulatory activities into ECHA CHEM.

Companies involved in the manufacture, import, distribution or use of batteries should review the Batteries restriction list when checking compliance with the EU Batteries Regulation. Employers and suppliers working with hazardous substances can use the OEL evaluation list to monitor substances under evaluation and prepare for potential future workplace-exposure measures.

Source: European Chemicals Agency, ECHA CHEM; Batteries restriction list; OEL substance evaluations; ECHA’s activities under the Batteries Regulation; and Occupational exposure limit consultations.