ECHA | Key Discussions and Agreements in the 59th SEAC Meeting on Socio-economic Analysis (6-9 June 2023)

In the 59th meeting of the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC), several significant items were discussed and agreed upon, pertaining to various restrictions and assessment approaches. Here are the key highlights from the meeting:

General Restriction Issues:

1) Agreement on Updated Approach to Assessment of PBT/vPvB Substances: The SEAC working group dedicated to revising SEAC's approach to evaluating restriction reports and applications for authorization for PBT (Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic) and vPvB (very Persistent and very Bioaccumulative) substances provided a presentation on their updated paper, which now encompasses SEAC's approach to assessing persistent substances. The SEAC members reached an agreement on the proposed paper. Following the SEAC-59 plenary session, the SEAC working group, in collaboration with the Secretariat, will incorporate the discussions' outcomes and revise the approach, with the intention of publishing the updated document on the ECHA website.

2) Presentation of Work on Valuation of New Health Endpoints: A representative from the OECD delivered a presentation on their ongoing work related to the valuation of new health endpoints. Concurrently, the Secretariat informed the Committee about an impending update to the paper on SEAC reference willingness-to-pay (WTP) values. This update will include values derived from the newly presented valuations. The Chair concluded that the Secretariat will develop the necessary figures and present the updated paper for agreement at SEAC-60.

3) Updated Working Procedure for RAC and SEAC: SEAC acknowledged a presentation by the Secretariat concerning the revised working procedure for the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and SEAC when developing opinions on Annex XV restriction dossiers, aligning with the details outlined in meeting document SEAC/59/2023/03. The Secretariat will subsequently publish this updated working procedure on the ECHA website. Furthermore, the Secretariat provided an update on changes made to the opinion template, which will now be employed for the ongoing Universal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (UPFAS) restriction opinion.

Restriction Annex XV Dossiers:

a) Conformity Check and Key Issues Discussion:

1. Universal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (UPFAS): The meeting involved discussions and recommendations related to UPFAS, as well as stakeholder statements.

b) Opinion Development:

1. Creosote and Creosote-Related Substances: The second draft opinion on creosote and related substances was discussed.

2. BPA+: The committee addressed the restriction dossier for BPA+.

3. Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCP) and Similar Substances: Agreement was reached on the draft opinion concerning MCCP and substances with chloroalkanes in the C14 to C17 carbon chain length range.

4. Terphenyl, Hydrogenated: The committee reviewed the draft of the SEAC final opinion on hydrogenated terphenyl.

5. N,N-Dimethylacetamide and 1-Ethylpyrrolidin-2-One: Discussions revolved around the draft of the SEAC final opinion on these substances.

6. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Fire-Fighting Foams: The draft of the SEAC final opinion regarding PFAS in fire-fighting foams was considered.

These discussions and agreements represent the pivotal outcomes of the 59th SEAC meeting, addressing critical issues and moving towards effective restrictions and evaluations of substances with socio-economic impact.