The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has just recently diverted its attention into a restriction case where cadmium becomes the targeted substance. Effort is being paid to digging out more evidence so as to examine whether the supervision range should stretches up to plastics containing cadmium and are from the current 16 specific materials listed in Annex XVII of REACH. The request to ECHA was from the European Commission which will soon be seen its implementation in EU member states.

Meanwhile, rooms for further discussion upon the validity of the decision are spared as anyone who has the potential of being affected by this expanding restriction effort, or information in relation to the uses of cadmium in various manners and its compounds in plastics, or on possible alternatives, is welcomed for submitting comment via online questionnaire now available on ECHA website, before February 2013. Moreover, as the EU REACH regulation dictates, the Agency aims particularly on identifying any additional plastic materials that are manufactured or imported in EU, such as in consumer articles to which the restriction has not yet reached—with a suspicion now being cast upon its potentially carrying cadmium or cadmium compounds.

ECHA’s latest action unveils chance for any one affected to raise their questions or concerns as early as they might in the restriction process; while the information collected through the action will definitely facilitate development of an ANNEX XV restriction dossiers which record the expansion of restrictions on cadmium in plastics. Query must be waived as to the call for evidence is to replace the public consultation on restriction proposals prepared by ECHA, concerning the supervisory body confirms that as a standard part of the restriction process, the consultation will take place afterwards as usual.