ECPI’s statement following the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) meeting on 5-8 March

On 5-8 March, the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) adopted an Opinion on the ECHA Draft Report on the re-evaluation of the restrictions on DINP and DIDP in toys and childcare articles which can be placed in the mouth. This re-evaluation of the restrictions on non-classified high phthalates is required by entry 52 of Annex XVII of REACH, which incorporated the original restrictions in Directive 2005/84/EC.

While RAC “concluded that a risk from mouthing of toys and childcare articles with DINP and DIDP could not be excluded if the existing restrictions on these articles were lifted”, it “did not identify further uses that would cause a risk”." Taking into account the ECHA Draft Report and the RAC Opinion it can be concluded that DINP and DIDP are safe for use in all current applications.

ECPI understands that the RAC Opinion will be publicly available later in March. As a next step towards completing the re-evaluation, ECHA will now finalise the review report taking the opinion by RAC into consideration and the comments received during the public consultation.

The protection of consumer and children’s health is of paramount importance to the plasticiser industry. The European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI) is committed to supporting the REACH process and it has been following the ECHA re-evaluation of DINP and DIDP closely, providing ECHA and RAC with new and existing studies and information in order to support an in-depth evaluation.