SEAC concludes on scientific opinions for two restriction proposals

    The ECHA Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) has concluded that it has no basis to support the Danish proposal to further restrict four already classified phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, and DIBP). SEAC's opinion is based on the June Committee for Risk Assessment opinion (RAC) which said that the available data does not indicate a current risk from combined exposure to the four phthalates. The SEAC opinion therefore confirms its draft opinion of June 2012.

    The draft opinion was submitted for public consultation for 60 days. Based on the ten comments received, SEAC did not consider it necessary to change its opinion. However, it has introduced a number of clarifications in the justification text of the opinion.

    The original restriction proposal was submitted in 2011 by the Danish competent authorities with the aim of limiting the combined exposure of humans through consumer articles to the four phthalates.

    Draft opinion on restriction proposal for Chromium VI in leather articles

    Following the recent RAC opinion in support of the Danish proposal to restrict Chromium VI in leather articles, SEAC now also concluded that the proposed restriction is the most appropriate Community wide measure to address the identified risks in terms of the proportionality of its socio-economic benefits to its socio-economic costs provided that the scope and conditions are modified as stated in the RAC opinion.

    Public consultation on the SEAC draft opinion will be launched in December and the Committee is expected to adopt its final opinion in March 2013.