ECHA Publishes Scientific Report on Occupational Exposure Limits for Lithium Compounds

On April 1, 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released a scientific assessment report on occupational exposure limits (OELs) for three key lithium compounds (lithium carbonate, lithium chloride, and lithium hydroxide) and initiated a two-month public consultation on the related recommendations.

Scope of the Assessment

This assessment covers three lithium compounds classified for reproductive toxicity:

Lithium carbonate (EC No.: 209-062-5; CAS No.: 554-13-2)
Lithium chloride (EC No.: 231-212-3; CAS No.: 7447-41-8)
Lithium hydroxide (EC No.: 215-183-4; CAS No.: 1310-65-2)

Proposed Occupational Exposure Limits

Limit Type	Value	Basis
8-hour TWA (fertility, animal data)	0.46 mg Li/m³	Based on animal reproductive toxicity
8-hour TWA (developmental toxicity, human data)	11.3 mg Li/m³	Based on human developmental effects
8-hour TWA (developmental toxicity, animal data)	0.35 mg Li/m³	Based on animal developmental toxicity
8-hour TWA (kidney effects, human data)	0.75 mg Li/m³	Based on human kidney data
8-hour TWA (kidney/liver effects, animal data)	0.13 mg Li/m³	Based on animal kidney/liver toxicity
Short-term Exposure Limit (STEL)	0.02 mg Li/m³	Only for lithium hydroxide (corrosivity)
Biological Limit Value (BLV)	Not recommended	—
Skin/Respiratory Sensitization Notation	None	No evidence to support

Key Recommendations

ECHA recommends that the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) consider the following when establishing final OELs:

Choose between human data (developmental toxicity, 11.3 mg/m³) and animal data (kidney/liver toxicity, 0.13 mg/m³)
Consider the specific corrosivity of lithium hydroxide and propose a short-term exposure limit of 0.02 mg/m³
Not recommend a skin notation, as dermal absorption is negligible
Not recommend a biological limit value, as multiple biological monitoring reference values are already available

Public Consultation and Follow-up Procedures

ECHA launched the public consultation on April 1, 2026. Stakeholders may submit comments on the scientific report by June 1, 2026. Following the consultation, ECHA's Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) will integrate scientific evidence and public feedback to formulate a formal opinion on occupational exposure limits, providing a basis for the European Commission to establish binding limits.

About CIRS

Established in 2007, the CIRS Group is a leading product safety and regulatory consulting firm. CIRS has branches in the Republic of Ireland, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and China. CIRS Group utilizes its technical expertise, various resources, and international network to provide one-stop compliance services from regulatory compliance, laboratory testing, R&D to data services across multiple industries. This includes chemicals, cosmetics, food and food beverages, medical devices, agrochemical products, disinfectants, and consumer goods. It helps clients gain a competitive advantage by reducing business risks associated with regulatory affairs.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

Further Information

ECHA

We have launched a LinkedIn newsletter to keep you up to date on the latest developments across the chemical industry including food and FCMs and personal and home care.