Echa's Risk Committee Focuses on Occupational Exposure for Carcinogens

Echa's Risk Assessment Committee (Rac) is evaluating dossiers on worker exposure for three genotoxic carcinogens, as part of the European Commission's efforts to set binding occupational exposure limits (OELs).

The Commission is modernising occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation and amending the carcinogens and mutagens directive (CMD), which includes setting binding OELs for tens of additional carcinogens.

The Commission's Directorate-Genderal for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion has a Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (Scoel) that is working with Rac on the binding OELs.

Rac's work is purely to discuss the science of potential OELs its chair, Tim Bowmer, said.

At the European Commission's request, Echa has compiled dossiers on:

> nickel and its compounds;

> benzene; and

> Acrylonitrile.

The dossiers include fresh risk assessments for carcinogenicity, focusing on the workplace, as well as information on uses. Rac is examining whether these chemicals fit with group C genotoxic carcinogens with 'practical thresholds', according to Scoel methodology. Group A substances are non-threshold genotoxic carcinogens, while group D covers non-genotoxic carcinogens with a 'perfect' threshold.

Nickel and benzene are particularly complex cases Dr Bowmer says. "Not only is genotoxic and carcinogenic mode of action complicated but the usage and exposure of the substances are also very extensive," he said.

Rac will advise the Commission on any­ risks that would remain if particular OELs are recommended. It is due to report to the Commission by 26 March 2018.

In June, Rac adopted scientific opinions on occupational exposure for two other carcinogens: MOCA, and Arsenic and its inorganic salts.

Diisocyanates restriction

At its September meeting, Rac also discussed a German REACH restriction dossier for diisocyanates. The proposed restriction is unusual because it mainly involves training in appropriate risk management measures to ensure that workers are not exposed to the respiratory sensitisers, which cause asthma.

The high volume chemicals are widely used by companies of all sizes, from SMEs to industrial giants, in applications including spray paints and polyurethane foams

"The diisocyanates are difficult to measure in the workplace and the range of usage is very big," said Dr Bowmer.

Rac members are looking for certainty on who will take responsibility for implementation and how enforcement can best be achieved, he said.

Rac is due to adopt the dossier at its next meeting.

Lead in shot

Rac also began to discuss another unusual REACH restriction: lead in gun shot. Between 400,000 and 1,500,000 birds are thought to die each year from swallowing lead shot, according to the Annex XV restriction report. The annual consumption of shot cartridges in Europe is estimated to be between 600 and 700 million units, corresponding to up to 21,000 tonnes of lead dispersed in the environment.

The proposed restriction would forbid hunters from using lead shot in wetland areas.

Although lead shot is already regulated in many member states, not all of them have not taken action. The committee agreed that "there is a risk that needs to be addressed", said Dr Bowmer.

Classification and labelling

Finally, Rac adopted 10 opinions for harmonised classification and labelling (CLH), including cobalt metal and titanium dioxide (by written procedure).

In two CLH cases, Rac agreed on classification for reproductive toxicity, despite the fact this was not in the original proposals.

First, the committee decided that a herbicide called halosulfuron-methyl should be classified as Repro 1B for development, although the Italian proposal had only listed aquatic toxicity. "We felt that there was enough evidence that it should be fully classified," Dr Bowmer said.

Secondly, in a case proposed by Austria, Rac opted for Repro 2 for fertility for metaldehyde, which is used to kill slugs and snails.