What’s New? Why Is It Relevant?
On 5 November 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) officially added the flame retardant 1,1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) to the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), which now includes 251 entries.
DBDPE (CAS 84852-53-9, EC 284-366-9) has been identified as very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) under Article 57 (e) of the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. It is widely used as a brominated flame retardant in plastics, coatings, textiles, and electrical equipment—often replacing the now-restricted DecaBDE.
By inclusion in the Candidate List, DBDPE becomes subject to a series of mandatory obligations for manufacturers, importers, and users handling the substance, mixtures, or articles containing it.
ECHA has confirmed that DBDPE regulatory and evaluation data are accessible via the new ECHA CHEM platform, enhancing transparency on hazard and risk information.
Impact on Companies
Companies are required to verify whether DBDPE is present in their materials, articles, or components.
Once listed, several key obligations apply immediately:
- Information duty (Art. 33 REACH):
Customers and consumers must be informed if an article contains DBDPE in concentrations above 0.1 % w/w. - SCIP notification:
Companies must notify the ECHA SCIP database for affected articles to ensure waste traceability. - Safety Data Sheet (SDS) updates:
SDS must be updated to include the new SVHC information.
ECHA highlights that electronics, construction, and plastics manufacturers are most at risk, as DBDPE is commonly used in cable insulation, casings, foils, and protective coatings.
SVHC Update and IPOINT
With IPOINT's REACH compliance software companies can automatically track DBDPE’s inclusion and ensure SVHC compliance with the latest requirements. The solution offers:
- Automated monitoring of the SVHC Candidate List (incl. ECHA CHEM integration),
- Supplier and article screening for SVHC content,
- SCIP submission workflows directly through the platform.
This enables organisations to maintain full regulatory compliance and minimize supply-chain risks.
