ECHA to Add 3 New Substances to SVHC List
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced the upcoming addition of three new substances to its Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This brings the total to over 240 substances that are officially recognized as potentially harmful to human health or the environment — and the list keeps growing.
But what does this mean for consumers, and why is it especially relevant for industries like cosmetics, home care, or packaging?
What Is the SVHC Candidate List?
The Candidate List is part of the EU’s REACH Regulation, designed to identify and eventually restrict or phase out substances that pose significant risks. These include:
Carcinogens, mutagens, and substances toxic to reproduction (CMR)
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals
Endocrine disruptors
Substances with serious environmental or long-term health impacts
Once a substance is on the list, companies are legally required to disclose its presence in any product above 0.1% concentration and report its use to ECHA.
These Substances Are Still Legal – But for How Long?
Being added to the SVHC list doesn’t mean a substance is immediately banned — but it’s a major step toward restriction. Many substances on this list, such as:
PFAS (the so-called “forever chemicals”)
BPA (Bisphenol A)
Phthalates
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Formaldehyde releasers
...are still allowed in consumer products today, including personal care items, household cleaners, plastics, and textiles. Yet their potential to harm health and ecosystems is no longer in question — it’s under regulatory review.
Why It Matters to You.
This ongoing update of the Candidate List shows that regulatory frameworks are evolving, but they lag behind science and exposure. Many ingredients still found in daily products have already been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and environmental toxicity.
What this means is simple: you could be using products that contain substances flagged by ECHA, without even knowing it — and long before any regulation forces brands to change.
We Act Before the Ban: The Today Project’s Commitment
We believe safety should be proactive, not reactive. That’s why:
We monitor the Candidate List and the EU Restrictions Roadmap regularly.
We avoid substances already identified or likely to be listed soon.
We apply the precautionary principle, even when regulation allows otherwise.
We choose ingredients that are clean, traceable, and future-proof.
And more than that — our vision is supported by public commitment:
Catalan Waste Agency Supports Our Mission
Our work is backed by the Agència de Residus de Catalunya, which has awarded us funding to develop products aligned with:
Environmental improvement criteria
Eco-design principles
Substitution of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
This public support validates our mission and enables us to accelerate the creation of formulas and packaging that are not only effective and luxurious, but also aligned with EU sustainability goals and a non-toxic future.
Resources to Stay Informed
Clean formulation is not a trend. It’s a responsibility.
At The Today Project, we are proud to lead with transparency, scientific integrity, and anticipation — not reaction.
Let’s build the future of beauty and care together, one safe molecule at a time.
