Test results
In total, 106 items from 13 European countries were sent for testing at an independent and accredited laboratory. The tests focused on SVHCs, which are of the greatest concern on the European market. They can have harmful effects on human health and the environment because they may fall into one or more of the following categories:
- CMRs: carcinogenic (a substance that induces or contributes to the development of cancer), mutagenic (can cause genetic damage or induce cell mutations, with potential hereditary effects), reprotoxic (can impair fertility or adversely affect a child's development)
- PBTs: substances that are persistent (weakly degradable) in the environment or in organisms, are bioaccumulative, and toxic
- vPvB: very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances
- substances eliciting a level of concern equivalent to that of the above substances, such as endocrine disruptors
Of the 106 items tested, 10 contained SVHCs at a concentration exceeding 0.1%, meaning that consumers need to be informed of this upon request. Almost a third contained traces of SVHCs below the 0.1% threshold. Of these, seven items also contained plasticisers, which have been prohibited in consumer products since July 2020 because of their harmful effects on the hormonal system. Even at extremely low levels, these molecules can have toxic effects on reproduction. Furthermore, two of the products (gardening gloves and a children's painting apron) contained high concentrations of plasticisers—up to 23% of the weight of some parts of the article. The distributor withdrew the children's painting apron from the market as a result of our analyses.
As part of this analysis campaign, 25 items added by companies into the AskREACH database were also analysed in order to determine the accuracy of the information provided to consumers. Only one of these items contained an SVHC at over 0.1% w/w. The company in question has already been instructed to correct the information provided.