On 16 June 2026, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) formally announced that, under UK REACH, the following 15 substances/groups of substances have been added to the Candidate List as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). The addition takes effect from 15 June, following a 6‑week public consultation, and HSE confirmed the inclusion after considering the responses received.

15 substances/groups were added to the UK REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) for Authorisation

The latest version of EU REACH Restriction List (Annex XVII) is available

The EU Endocrine Disruptor (ED) Assessment List is maintained by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and serves to include substances that are undergoing assessment for endocrine-disrupting properties. Since February 2013, any substance considered to have or potentially have endocrine-disrupting properties has been included in the list. As of the latest update date, 27 April 2026, the list contains a total of 138 unique substances/entries.

The list comprises substances that have been submitted to the ECHA Endocrine Disruptor Expert Group for discussion. These substances are undergoing an informal hazard assessment to determine whether they possess endocrine-disrupting characteristics. The outcome of the assessment may indicate that a substance does not have endocrine-disrupting properties; however, if the assessment concludes that a substance does have such properties, formal risk management and decision-making processes must be followed to confirm these characteristics before any regulatory actions can be taken based on these properties.

A new substance added for assessment: Benzimidazole-2-thiol

A substance was added to the EU Endocrine Disruptor Assessment List

Recently, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released the latest version of the Rotterdam Convention Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure controlled chemicals list (PIC Annex Entries). Compared with previous versions, this update involves 1 new substance and revisions to 19 substances, with the total number of listed substances increasing from 362 to 363.

Details of the new substance are as follows:
Fenpropimorph (CAS 67564-91-4; EC 266-719-9)

1 substance was added to the EU List of Chemicals subject to Export Control or PIC Regulations

On May 27, 2026, the Australian Government issued a notification to include a chemical substance in the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals, in compliance with Section 82 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019.

A substance was added to the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC)

To further clarify the scope of control for ephedrine-type and pseudoephedrine-type substances listed in the Argentina List of Chemical Precursors Control, the following supplementary details are provided:
Ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and the salts of its optical isomers: 8 types
Pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and the salts of its optical isomers: 4 types

Update to Argentina List of Chemical Precursors Control - Addition of 12 Ephedrine-Type Substances

The European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2025/1930 in the Official Journal of the European Union, officially amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), adding the flame retardant Dechlorane Plus and its isomers to Part A of Annex I. To date, the EU POPs control list has been expanded to 34 entries.

6 substances were added to the EU List of Substances Subject to POPs Regulation

On May 19, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment issued an announcement stating that the Cabinet Office has approved a Cabinet Decision on the Partial Revision Order to the Enforcement Decree of the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL).
This revision officially adds Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids (LC-PFCAs) and their salts, LC-PFCA-related substances, Chlorpyrifos, and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) to the list of CSCL Class I Specified Chemical Substances, with supporting regulatory provisions updated accordingly.
The revised ordinance shall officially take effect on November 22, 2026.
For full details: https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_04704.html

4 substances were added to the Japan CSCL-Class I Specified Chemical Substances

To further strengthen the administration of precursor chemicals and prevent the diversion of ephedrine-type substances to illicit channels, in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Precursor Chemicals and the Classification and Catalogue of Precursor Chemicals, Item 12 of Category I — "ephedrine, pseudo ephedrine, mesoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, methylephedrine, ephedrine extractum, ephedrine extractum powder and other ephedrine substances" — is classified as pharmaceutical precursor chemicals. Any salts thereof, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and single-ingredient preparations are also subject to control.

Supplementary content:

Ephedrine and its salts: 8 type
Pseudoephedrine and its salts: 4 type
Methylephedrine and its salts: 3 type
Norephedrine and its salts: 5 type
Ephedra extracts, herb powders and liquid extracts: 7 type
Single-ingredient preparations and derivatives: 1 type

Update of China Inventory of Precursor Chemicals - Addition of 28 Ephedrine-type Substances

On May 22, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce and four other departments issued the Announcement on Adjusting the Catalogue of Precursor Chemicals for Export to Specific Countries (Regions).

To further strengthen the administration of precursor chemical exports, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the General Administration of Customs, and the National Medical Products Administration have decided, in accordance with the Interim Provisions on the Administration of the Export of Precursor Chemicals to Specific Countries (Regions), to adjust the Catalogue by adding three substances, including 1-tert-butyl 3-methyl 4-oxopiperidine-1,3-dicarboxylate, to Part I.

As of the date of this announcement, exports of the chemicals listed in Part I to the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and exports of the chemicals listed in Part II to Myanmar, Laos, and Afghanistan, shall be subject to licensing requirements under the Interim Provisions. No license is required for exports to other countries (regions).

Update History