Recent Update Regarding the Blowing Agent ADCA
Following a recent meeting of the EU’s REACH Committee in October to discuss the next tranche of substances for inclusion in REACH Annex XIV, there have been some positive developments for the industry regarding the blowing agent azodicarbonamide (ADCA).
For the Commission, DG Growth and DG Environment have adopted a joint position on the chemical; that is ‘for the time being’ ADCA should not be included in Annex XIV. This decision is still subject to inter-consultation prior to the Commission preparing a legislative proposal for the combined 5th and 6th recommendations; however it is unlikely that ADCA will be reinstated for these rounds.
The Commission providing reasoning for their decision, citing technical evidence presented by the ADCA Task Force with regards to use, risk management, scientific data submissions and details of supply chain complexity; this itself included doubts about ADCA’s classification and that any risk arising from the substance is restricted to workers involved in its manufacture and not end-users.
Whilst this does not guarantee ADCA will not be reviewed for possible inclusion in the future, this is a highly positive step forward and shows that the efforts of the industry have proven worthwhile.
To see the full update by West & Senior, click here
