Help us to improve the website - give your feedback.

UK REACH substances of very high concern (SVHCs)

This explains the requirements under UK REACH for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) and how their regulation under UK REACH might impact on the chemicals in your business.

What SVHCs are

SVHCs are substances that have hazards with serious consequences. For example, they cause cancer, or they have other hazardous properties and/or remain in the environment for a long time with their amounts in animals gradually building up.

In accordance with Article 57 of UK REACH, substances with the following properties may be identified as SVHCs:

  • Substances meeting the criteria for classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) category 1A or 1B in accordance with the GB CLP[34] regulation.
  • Substances which are persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) in accordance with the criteria in Annex 13 of UK REACH.
  • Substances which are very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB) in accordance with the criteria in Annex 13 of UK REACH.
  • Substances giving rise to an equivalent level of concern to substances meeting the above criteria. Such substances may have endocrine disrupting properties or have properties, that although not meeting the criteria for being a CMR, PBT or vPvB, there is scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health or the environment. Such substances will be identified on a case-by-case basis

Substances meeting these criteria may be added to one or both of these lists:

The process for how this happens is outlined below.

The UK REACH Candidate List

The Candidate List is a list of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) that may be prioritised for inclusion on the Authorisation List (Annex 14) of UK REACH.

When UK REACH came into force, all substances on the EU REACH Candidate List were carried over onto the UK REACH Candidate List.

Process for including substances on the UK REACH Candidate List

HSE, with the Environment Agency  will prepare dossiers in accordance with Annex 15 of UK REACH to formally identify how substances meet the SVHCs criteria.

Information on these substances will be published on the HSE Consultations Hub[37] and interested parties will be invited to comment within a set timeframe. If no comments are received, the substance will be included on the Candidate List.  Where comments are received, these will be taken into account by HSE when making a decision regarding the inclusion of the substance in the Candidate List.

Read more about identifying SVHCs in UK REACH in our assessment of substances added to the EU candidate list in 2021[38].

Supplier responsibilities

Inclusion of a substance on the UK REACH Candidate List brings obligations for suppliers of the substance.

Duty to communicate information on substances in articles

If you supply an article (article definition[39]) containing a substance that appears on the Candidate List in a concentration above 0.1% weight by weight (w/w) you must provide the recipient of the article with sufficient information, available to you, to allow safe use of the article including, as a minimum, the name of the substance (Article 33). This applies when the article is supplied to recipients who are to use or handle it as part of their work.

You must also supply the equivalent information to consumers (the general public) if requested. You must provide this information within 45 days of receipt of the request.

Notification of substances in articles

If you produce or import supply articles containing substances that appear on the UK REACH Candidate List you may need to submit a notification to HSE.

Read our guidance on notifying substances in articles.[40]

Duty to communication information on substances in mixtures

If you supply a mixture not classified as hazardous according to GB CLP you must provide the recipients on request, with a safety data sheet if the mixture contains at least one substance on the UK REACH Candidate List, present at concentration of at least 0.1% (w/w) for non-gaseous mixtures.

Introduction to classification and labelling[41]

Duty to communicate information on substances

If you supply a substance that appears on the UK REACH Candidate List you must provide a safety data sheet for the substance to your customers.

Authorisation

Probably the most critical aspect in relation to SVHCs is that some may go forward and be included on Annex 14 of UK REACH (Authorisation List). Such substances will be subject to the authorisation provisions of UK REACH. Once a substance has been listed, businesses cannot generally use that substance for the specified use beyond a sunset date that is specific for that substance, unless they are granted an authorisation.

Link URLs in this page

  1. UK REACHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/index.htm
  2. REACH Basicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/basics.htm
  3. UK REACH explainedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/about.htm
  4. Submit dossiershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/using-comply-with-uk-reach.htm
  5. Roles and responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/roles.htm
  6. Fees and chargeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/fees-and-charges-table.htm
  7. Reporting a concernhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/enforcement.htm
  8. Authorisation overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation.htm
  9. Authorisation listhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation-list.htm
  10. Applying for a UK REACH Authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/new-authorisation.htm
  11. Grandfathering EU authorisationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/grandfathering-authorisation.htm
  12. Awaiting ECHA opinion on authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation127ga.htm
  13. Awaiting EU application authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation127g.htm
  14. SVHCshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/svhc.htm
  15. EU REACH authorisations downstream usershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation127h.htm
  16. Evaluationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/evaluation.htm
  17. Registration overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/reach-registration.htm
  18. New registrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/new-registration.htm
  19. Grandfathering EU registrationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/grandfathering-registrations.htm
  20. Downstream user notificationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/duin.htm
  21. DUIN Templatehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/duin-template.htm
  22. Lead registrants in UK REACHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/lead-registrant.htm
  23. Research and Development (PPORD) overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/ppord.htm
  24. Research and Development (PPORD) exemptionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/new-ppord.htm
  25. Northern Ireland Notification (NIP-NOTS)https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/northern-ireland.htm
  26. Restrictionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/restrictions.htm
  27. Reports and planshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/reports-plans.htm
  28. Resources overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/resources.htm
  29. UK chemicals helplinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/contact.htm
  30. Get involved in UK REACHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/get-involved.htm
  31. Glossaryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/definitions.htm
  32. EU REACH linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/eu-reach-links.htm
  33. Independent scientific advicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/reach-independent-scientific-expert-pool.htm
  34. GB CLPhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemical-classification/index.htm
  35. UK REACH Candidate Listhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/candidate-list.htm
  36. UK REACH Authorisation List (Annex 14)https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation-list.htm
  37. HSE Consultations Hubhttps://consultations.hse.gov.uk/?_ga=2.238948169.850866228.1642415229-1974530939.1623399228
  38. assessment of substances added to the EU candidate list in 2021https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/svhc-assessment-eu-reach-candidate-list.htm
  39. article definitionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/definitions.htm
  40. Read our guidance on notifying substances in articles.https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/substance-in-articles-notification.htm
  41. Introduction to classification and labellinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pesticides/pesticides-registration/introduction-to-classification-and-l.htm
  42. Substances recommended for inclusion in UK REACH Authorisation List (Annex 14)https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/recommendations.htm
  43. UK REACH Authorisation List (Annex 14)https://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/authorisation-list.htm
  44. Applying for a UK REACH authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/new-authorisation.htm

Is this page useful?

Updated 2022-03-30