EU SVHC List Update: Industry Response And Next Steps Following The Inclusion of Decabromodiphenyl Ethane

On October 7, 2025, the Member State Committee of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) officially endorsed a proposal submitted by Sweden to include the flame retardant Decabromodiphenyl Ethane (DBDPE) in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This decision was based on the substance meeting the criteria for being classified as "very persistent and very bioaccumulative" (vPvB) under the REACH Regulation.

However, in a subsequent statement, the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF) expressed its position that the available scientific evidence is currently insufficient to fully substantiate the classification of DBDPE as a vPvB substance, reserving its stance on this assessment outcome. ECHA formally updated the SVHC Candidate List to include DBDPE on November 5, 2025.

It is important to clarify that inclusion in the SVHC Candidate List does not equate to a ban on the manufacture, use, or placing on the market of this chemical. According to the EU REACH Regulation, companies importing this substance into the EU/European Economic Area—whether on its own or in mixtures—must comply with the following legal obligations:

• Update the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for the substance and relevant mixtures.

• Provide written safety use instructions to recipients within the EU for articles containing the substance in a concentration above 0.1% (w/w), in accordance with Article 33.

• Notify ECHA in writing if the substance is present in articles above 0.1% (w/w) and under certain conditions, pursuant to Article 7(2).

For more detailed information on the implications of SVHC listing, please refer to the ECHA announcement document ECHA/NR/25/35 (see link at the end).

ECHA further indicated in its announcement that listing DBDPE as an SVHC aims to provide a scientific basis for potential future restrictions on brominated flame retardants possessing PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic) and vPvB properties. ECHA is currently awaiting further guidance from the European Commission on its overarching strategy for regulating flame retardants, expected by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Even if a decision is made in the future to restrict this substance, the process from authorization to implementation will span several years. Industry estimates suggest that relevant restriction measures are unlikely to take effect before 2030. During this period, the EU is likely to initiate steps such as evidence collection and public consultations to gradually define potential exempted uses and transition periods.

BSEF emphasizes that, given the current lack of viable alternatives for DBDPE in certain applications, active participation from all segments of the supply chain is crucial. This engagement is necessary to help ensure that any future risk management measures are proportionate, feasible, and aligned globally. The Forum has committed to continuously updating producers and users of the substance on developments and to facilitating industry participation in subsequent assessment and consultation processes.