Governance & Policy

Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect source requestedWhy these are different

Definition

Substances of very high concern are chemicals meeting the EU REACH Regulation's most serious hazard criteria: carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR); persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); or of equivalent concern, such as endocrine disruptors. Identified SVHCs are placed on the Candidate List, triggering supply chain communication duties, and may be moved to the Authorisation List, after which their use requires specific authorisation — a mechanism designed to drive substitution.

References

Source organisationSupporting reference

This reference provides supporting context for how “Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)” is defined and used.

echa.europa.euBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

Overview

How it is used

The concept structures chemicals compliance, product material disclosure, restricted substances lists in manufacturing, and green chemistry substitution programmes.

Why it matters

SVHC is where chemical hazard becomes market signal — the regulatory engine of safer materials in Europe and, by supply chain contagion, beyond.