August 21, 2014
Details
Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directs a sunset date of February 21, 2015 for Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) , Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).
Why It Matters
A “sunset date” is provided for each substance on the Annex XIV list. From this date, the substance may only be placed on the market or used if an authorization has been granted.
All four phthalates are considered toxic for reproduction (category 1B) and may only be used for registered purposes. For any other use, these phthalates are effectively banned for all products, not just toys and childcare items.
How UL Can Help
Across our global network of laboratories, UL’s third-party testing services can help ensure regulatory compliance with REACH requirements.