Expansion of the UK REACH Candidate List: 15 SVHCs Officially Added

On June 15, 2026, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officially announced the addition of 15 substances/substance groups to the UK REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This represents the first substantive update to the Candidate List since the end of the UK's Brexit transition period in 2021. CIRS Group provides the following interpretation of this update.

Background

The HSE launched a six-week public consultation on March 9, 2026, to solicit stakeholder input on the properties and hazard characteristics of the 15 substances/substance groups. The consultation closed on April 20. All 15 substances/substance groups had been identified as SVHCs and listed in the EU Candidate List by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) between 2021 and 2025, and all hold mandatory harmonized classifications under the UK GB CLP Regulation, primarily involving Carcinogenicity, Mutagenicity, or Reproductive Toxicity (CMR) categories.

Details of Newly Added Substances/Substance Groups

No.	Substance/Substance Group Name	Reason for Inclusion
1	2,2',6,6'-Tetrabromo-4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (TBBPA)	Carcinogenicity
2	2,2-Bis(bromomethyl)propane-1,3-diol (BMP); 2,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol tribromo derivative/3-bromo-2,2-bis(bromomethyl)-1-propanol (TBNPA); 2,3-dibromo-1-propanol (2,3-DBPA)	Carcinogenicity
3	2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde and its individual stereoisomers (Lysmeral)	Reproductive toxicity
4	2-(Dimethylamino)-2-[(4-methylphenyl)methyl]-1-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]butan-1-one (Omnirad)	Reproductive toxicity
5	6,6'-Di-tert-butyl-2,2'-methylenedi-p-cresol (DBMC)	Reproductive toxicity
6	6-[(C10-C13)-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl]hexanoic acid (Tetra-PSCA)	Reproductive toxicity
7	Barium diboron tetraoxide	Reproductive toxicity
8	Bis(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl) ether (tetraglyme)	Reproductive toxicity
9	Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide	Reproductive toxicity
10	Dioctyltin dilaurate, dioctyltin bis(cocoacyloxy) derivatives, and other dioctyltin bis(fatty acyloxy) derivatives (DOTL)	Reproductive toxicity
11	Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide	Reproductive toxicity
12	N-(Hydroxymethyl)acrylamide	Carcinogenicity, Mutagenicity
13	Orthoboric acid, sodium salts	Reproductive toxicity
14	Reactive Brown 51	Reproductive toxicity
15	Tris(2-methoxyethoxy)vinylsilane	Reproductive toxicity

Compliance Obligations for Enterprises

Once substances are added to the Candidate List, suppliers must immediately fulfill the following statutory obligations:

1. Information Communication Obligation for Substances in Articles

If an article (as defined) supplied contains a substance on the Candidate List at a concentration exceeding 0.1% weight by weight (w/w), sufficient information must be provided to the recipient of the article to ensure safe use. The information shall include, at a minimum, the name of the substance. This obligation applies when supplying to recipients who use or handle the article in the course of their work.

If a consumer (member of the general public) makes a request, equivalent information must also be provided.

This information must be provided within 45 days of receipt of the request.

2. Notification of Substances in Articles

If producing, importing, or supplying articles containing substances on the Candidate List, notification to the HSE may be required.

3. Information Communication Obligation for Substances in Mixtures

If a mixture supplied is not classified as hazardous under the GB CLP Regulation but contains a substance on the Candidate List at a concentration of 0.1% (w/w) or higher in non-gaseous mixtures, a safety data sheet must be provided upon request.

4. Information Communication Obligation for Substances

If a substance supplied is listed on the UK REACH Candidate List, a safety data sheet (SDS) for that substance must be provided to the customer.

CIRS Insights

This update directly affects multiple industries, including electrical and electronic equipment, food contact materials, cosmetics, and textiles. Affected enterprises should immediately take the following actions:

Supply Chain Review: Verify whether the above 15 substances are present in your product portfolio
Concentration Assessment: Test whether the content of relevant substances in articles exceeds the 0.1% threshold
Notification Preparation: Timely submission of SVHC notifications to the HSE for substances requiring notification
Information Update: Revise safety data sheets (SDS) and supply chain communication documents

Our free tool, ChemRadar, provides substance queries for the UK REACH Candidate List:

https://www.chemradar.com/en/tools/cis/inv/6711d0461ed77c744386c565

About CIRS

Established in 2007, the CIRS Group is a leading product safety and regulatory consulting firm. CIRS has branch offices 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.

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