UK expands the Candidate List of substances of very high concern for authorization under UK REACH with 15 new additions

The United Kingdom, through the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), has added 15 new substances and substance groups to Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) for authorization under UK REACH, following a public consultation process and technical evaluation, reinforcing regulatory obligations for companies that manufacture, import, or use them.

The update, adopted on 15 June 2026, follows a six-week public consultation during which the hazardous properties of the proposed substances, as well as stakeholder comments, were assessed. With this decision, the HSE marks a further step forward in the development of the UK REACH system following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Among the added substances are compounds mainly identified due to their carcinogenic or reproductive toxicity properties, which justifies their inclusion in the list.

The substances added are as follows:

• 2,2’,6,6’-tetrabromo-4,4’-isopropylidenediphenol (TBBPA)
• 2,2-bis(bromomethyl)propane-1,3-diol (BMP); 2,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol, tribromo derivative / 3-bromo-2,2-bis(bromomethyl)-1-propanol (TBNPA); 2,3-dibromo-1-propanol (2,3-DBPA)
• 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde and its stereoisomers (Lysmeral)
• 2-(dimethylamino)-2-[(4-methylphenyl)methyl]-1-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]butan-1-one (Omnirad)
• 6,6’-di-tert-butyl-2,2’-methylenedi-p-cresol (DBMC)
• 6-[(C10–C13)-alkyl (branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl]hexanoic acid (Tetra-PSCA)
• Barium diboron tetraoxide
• Bis(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl) ether (tetraglyme)
• Bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide
• Dioctyltin dilaurate and related dioctyltin derivatives (DOTL)
• Diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide
• N-(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide
• Orthoboric acid, sodium salt
• Reactive Brown 51 (complex dye)
• Tris(2-methoxyethoxy)vinylsilane

The inclusion of these substances in the list entails new obligations for companies operating in the UK market, including communication of their presence in articles above 0.1% w/w, transmission of information to customers and consumers, possible notification to the competent authority, and updates to safety data sheets. Furthermore, this addition represents a preliminary step towards future, more restrictive regulatory measures, as these substances may subsequently be included in Annex XIV (Authorisation List), which would imply limitations on their use without express authorization.

In this context, companies operating in the UK market should assess the potential impact of these new inclusions on their products and supply chains, with particular attention to communication and compliance obligations under UK REACH. Tools such as Chemeter enable systematic tracking, facilitating the identification of affected substances and the management of regulatory requirements.En este escenario, las empresas que operan en el mercado británico deben revisar el posible impacto de estas nuevas inclusiones en sus productos y cadenas de suministro, con especial atención a las obligaciones de comunicación y cumplimiento establecidas en UK REACH. Herramientas especializadas como permiten hacer este seguimiento de forma sistemática, facilitando la identificación de sustancias afectadas y el control de los requisitos regulatorios aplicables.

The updated Candidate List of substances of very high concern for authorization and the official details of the substances can be consulted on the UK Government website.