SVHC are substances which may have very serious and often irreversible effects on humans and the environment. Under the REACH regulation SVHC substances are listed on the Candidate List. When a substance is included on the Candidate List it may have legal obligations on companies.

Notification of SVHC substances
EU producers or importers of articles have to notify ECHA if their article contains a substance on the Candidate List. This obligation applies if the substance is above 0.1% (w/w) and its quantities in the produced/imported articles are above 1 tonne in total per year per company.

REACH requires that

• for substances included in the Candidate List before 1 December 2010, the notifications had to be submitted by 1 June 2011
• for substances included in the Candidate List on or after 1 December 2010, the notifications have to be submitted no later than 6 months after the date of inclusion

What are articles?
In REACH many consumer products fall under the definition articles. An article is defined as an object with physical properties more important to its function than any chemical properties. Articles include both large consumer products such as cars, furniture, refrigerators, bicycles, clothes/textiles, and handbags, but also small items such as toothbrushes, pencils, and mobile/cell phones.

SVHC and consumer rights
According to the REACH regulation, consumers can demand information on SVHC substances in consumer products. Companies are obliged to give this information at no charge to the consumers when asked.

Since October 2008 EU suppliers of articles which contain substances on the SVHC Candidate List in a concentration above 0.1% (w/w) must provide information to their customers and on request to a consumer within 45 days of the receipt of this request.