ECHA Consults on Uses and Alternatives of Certain Chromium (VI) Substances

ECHA is calling for evidence and information on the uses and alternatives of certain chromium (VI) substances for a restriction proposal under EU REACH.

At the request of the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is calling for evidence and information on certain chromium (VI) substances to prepare for a restriction proposal in line with the requirements of REACH Annex XV. 

This consultation follows the first round of call for evidence held from December 2023 until February 2024, which was successful in terms of gathering data for a thorough analysis of some of the Cr(VI) substances and some of their uses.

The second call for evidence will be split in two separate surveys (identified as 2a and 2b).

The survey 2a targets companies using Cr(VI) substances and in particular:

• Any company that did not respond to the first call for evidence
• Users of Cr(VI) substances in the transportation (maritime, rail, road, aviation), aerospace and defence sectors
• Users of Cr(VI) in electroplating on plastics, painting, spraying, brushing and slurry coating, and speciality surface treatment incl. chemical conversion coating, anodization and passivation
• Users of Cr(VI) substances other than chromium trioxide and chromium acids include users of barium chromate.

The survey 2b targets providers (e.g. manufacturers, formulators, suppliers, importers, distributors) of alternative(s) to Cr(VI) substances as well as to companies that have substituted Cr(VI) substances or are just completing such substitution.

The list of substances in the scope of this restriction proposal now includes:

• Chromium trioxide (entry 16 ) 
• Chromic and Dichromic acids (entry 17) 
• Sodium dichromate (entry 18) 
• Potassium dichromate (entry 19) 
• Ammonium dichromate (entry 20) 
• Potassium chromate (entry 21) 
• Sodium chromate (entry 22) 
• Dichromium tris(chromate) (entry 28) 
• Strontium chromate (entry 29) 
• Potassium hydroxyoctaoxodizincatedichromate (entry 30) 
• Pentazinc chromate octahydroxide (entry 31) 
• Barium chromate