Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/227 of 9 February 2017 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards bis(pentabromophenyl)ether

Bis(pentabromophenyl)ether (‘decaBDE’) is widely used as an additive flame retardant with applications in many different sectors, in particular in plastic and textile articles but also in adhesives, sealants, coatings and inks.

The substance decaBDE has been identified as a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substance (‘PBT’) and a very persistent and very bioaccumulative (‘vPvB’) substance in accordance with points of Article 57 of the REACH Regulation.

The substance was included in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (‘SVHC’) for possible inclusion in Annex XIV to REACH. Based on those opinions, the Commission is of the opinion that an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment arises from the manufacture, use or placing on the market of decaBDE, on its own, as a constituent of other substances, in mixtures and in articles.

As such the REACH Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006) is amended so that, subject to certain exceptions, decaBDE shall not be manufactured or placed on the market as a substance on its own after 2 March 2019.