Companies can now submit information on substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in their articles to a new EU database (www.echa.europa.eu/scip) aimed at facilitating recycling. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, Helsinki / Finland; www.echa.europa.eu) said the aim of the new SCIP (substances of concern in articles and products) database is to make recycling of products safer and improve information about dangerous chemicals in products.

The database, launched on 28 October 2020, was established under the Waste Framework Directive and is maintained by ECHA. The Waste Framework Directive requires companies to submit their data as of 5 January 2021. Consumers and waste operators can access and use the data from February 2021 onwards.

“We need to know more about the hazardous chemicals in products so that they can be safely recycled. This is key for a better circular economy and essential to make the EU “Green Deal” (see Plasteurope.com of 27.01.2020) work,” said ECHA executive director Bjorn Hansen. “We call on industry to start submitting the data to us now and we stand ready to support them.”

ECHA said the database ensures that the information on articles containing SVHCs on its candidate list is available throughout the whole lifecycle of products and materials, including the waste stage. The database has been developed in cooperation with stakeholders and a dedicated IT user group of more than 60 members. Based on industry feedback, it includes mechanisms that simplify the work for companies, for example by allowing them to submit notifications by referring to data that has already been submitted, ECHA added.