EU REACH – ECHA Adds Two Hazardous Chemicals to the Candidate List

Vol. 1522 | 09 Feb 2026

n-hexane and BPAF added to SVHC. SVHC now contains 253 entries for chemicals that can harm people or the environment. Companies are responsible for managing the risks of these chemicals and giving customers and consumers information on their safe use.

On 4 February 2026, ECHA added two new substances. The newly added substances are n-hexane and 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol (bisphenol AF) and its salts. n-Hexane are used, in formulation, polymer processing, coatings, cleaning agents and Bisphenol AF as process regulators and cross-linking agents respectively.

The Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC) now contains 253 entries for chemicals that can harm people or the environment.

Substance name	EC number	CAS number	Reason for inclusion	Examples of uses
n-hexane	203-777-6	110-54-3	Specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure (Article 57(f) - human health)	Formulation, polymer processing, coatings and cleaning agent
4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts Bisphenol AF; BPAF	-	-	Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c)	Process regulator and cross-linking agent

Consequences of inclusion on the Candidate List

Under REACH, companies have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List.

If an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1 % (weight by weight), suppliers must give their customers and consumers information on how to use it safely. Consumers have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Importers and producers of articles must notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months from the date it has been included in the list (4 February 2026).

EU and EEA suppliers of substances on the Candidate List, supplied either on their own or in mixtures, must update the safety data sheet they provide to their customers.

Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies also have to notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is published in ECHA’s database of substances of concern in products (SCIP).

Under the EU Ecolabel Regulation, products containing SVHCs cannot have the ecolabel award. 

You can access the notification by ECHA through the following:

https://echa.europa.eu/-/echa-adds-two-hazardous-chemicals-to-the-candidate-list-1

You can view the full candidate list of SVHCs through the following:

http://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/candidate-list-table

If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Kathy Leung (Kathy.Leung@intertek.com) or Dr. Ben Cheng (Ben.PS.Cheng@intertek.com)

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