New EU database for pollutants: Experts expect positive effects on the Circular Economy

„Companies supplying products containing substances of very high concern on the EU market have to submit information to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), as from January, 2021”, Environmental Expert Axel Dick and Occupational Health and Safety Expert Eckehard Bauer of Quality Austria explain. Waste operators can access this data to ensure that such substances are not unintentionally recycled and processed into new products. The information in the database is also available to consumers. The qualityaustria experts clarify what manufacturers and consumers will have to expect and how this will boost the Circular Economy.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has established a long Candidate List of substances of very high concerns. „All articles placed on the EU market containing substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % weight by weight must be entered in the SCIP database of ECHA on an obligatory basis, as from January 2021”, summarizes Eckehard Bauer, responsible for Business Development in the field of Occupational Health and Safety of Quality Austria. The database can be accessed here. One example of many of these substances is the plasticizer diisobutyl phthalate, which can be found, amongst others, in dispersion adhesives. If it is used to glue cardboard boxes that are recycled into food packaging, the substance may pass to the food under certain circumstances and may be harmful to health. The SCIP database provides a good and quick overview of substances of very high concern (SVHC), especially for specialists such as safety experts who prepare risk assessments (workplace evaluations).

Consumers can use SCIP to adapt their purchasing behavior

Numerous actors are required to submit information: all EU producers, assemblers, importers, distributers, as well as other companies in the supply chain. Only exception are retailers who supply directly to consumers. The data collection has a number of different goals: Increased transparency helps consumers to make purchasing decisions, encourages the industry to substitute these substances with harmless alternatives, and subsequently contributes to a better circular economy. On the one hand, because this data is also available to waste operators, and on the other hand, because it can help to avoid these substances already in the product development stage so that they do not enter the cycle in the first place.

„The circular economy is one of the EU’s major projects. Therefore, companies should already start now to work in a way that is suitable for recycling and to give more attention to environmental and safety aspects“, suggests Axel Dick, Executive Vice President Business Development Environment and Energy, CSR, Quality Austria. Circular economy starts with product design.