A substance of very high concern (SVHC) is a chemical substance (or part of a group of chemical substances) which has been proposed as a candidate for inclusion on the Authorization or Restriction list (see: ECHA Lists) of REACH.[1] The addition of a substance to the SVHC Candidate List[2] by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is the first step in the procedure for the authorisation or restriction of a chemical.[3] It is expected that industries operating in EU member states abide by the regulations of REACH and submit chemicals for consideration when appropriate.[4]
The first list of SVHCs was published on 28 October 2008 with the list being updated biannually since then. The most recent update occurred in June 2024, bringing the size to 241 SVHCs.[5]