the european chemicals agency (echa) has begun a six month consultation on two restriction proposals; one from echa itself, prepared at the request of the european commission, covers several mercury containing measuring devices; the other, from norway, tackles five phenylmercury substances. the agency hopes that interested parties will submit comments by 24 december 2010, as the rapporteurs of its risk assessment committee (rac) and socio-economic analysis committee (seac) have indicated those comments will assist them in their detailed discussions of the restriction proposals which begin in january 2011.
the echa proposal would see a ban on mercury used in industrial and professional settings for thermometers, sphygmomanometers, barometers, manometers, metering devices for the determination of softening point, pycnometers and strain gauges.
norway's proposal would restrict the phenylmercury substances, which are used mainly as catalysts in the production of polyurethane coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers. the life-cycle of the phenylmercury compounds leads to the release of mercury to the environment. in the restriction report norway suggests that the substances should not be manufactured, placed on the market or used as a substance or in mixtures in concentrations above 0.01 % weight by weight.
the substances are:
● phenylmercury acetate
● phenylmercury propionate
● phenylmercury 2-ethylhexanoate
● phenylmercuric octanoate
● phenylmercury neodecanoatethe final opinions of the rac and seac are scheduled for september 2011. based on these opinions, the european commission will take the decisions whether to introduce additional restrictions into the reach regulation.
