REACH – German Environmental Agency Calls for Persistent, Mobile and Toxic (PMT) Category for Hazardous Chemicals

The German environment agency (UBA) has suggested adding a new criterion for classifying substances as hazardous under REACH regulation, focusing predominantly on their water mobility. The new criterion would look at the persistence, mobility and toxicity of the substance.

UBA raised concerns around the current persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) category, as some chemicals have the ability to evade articificial filters and could be ending up in sources of drinking water and the environment. As a result they would like this mobility in water to be classified under REACH, as well as those criterion currently within the scope of the regulation.