On March 11, 2026, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the authority responsible for the UK REACH regulation, announced the launch of a six-week public consultation to seek opinions on the inclusion of 15 substances of very high concern (SVHC) in the UK REACH candidate list. Companies are welcome to submit comments and information regarding the characteristics or hazardous properties of these substances to the HSE before April 20, 2026.
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According to Article 57 of the UK REACH Regulation, substances with the following characteristics can be identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC):
According to the GB CLP regulatory standards, substances that meet the criteria for classification as Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reprotoxic (CMR) Category 1A or 1B.
According to the criteria in Annex XIII of the UK REACH Regulation, substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT).
According to the criteria in Annex XIII of the UK REACH Regulation, substances with very high persistence and very high bioaccumulation (vPvB).
Substances that have the same level of concern as those that meet the aforementioned criteria. Such substances may exhibit endocrine-disrupting properties or have scientific evidence indicating that they may pose serious hazards to human health or the environment, even though they do not meet the criteria for being classified as CMR, PBT, or vPvB. These substances will be identified through case-by-case assessments.
