REACH Amended Regarding Lead and its Compounds in PVC

2023-07-06

Dated 03 May 2023, an EU "Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/923" was published to amend Annex XVII to REACH (EC1907/2006) as regards lead and its compounds in polymers or copolymers of vinyl chloride (PVC).

As explained in the Regulation, while it is useful in PVC compounding, lead is a toxic substance. It was therefore decided to set a concentration limit for lead in PVC, with effect from 29 November 2024, that if the concentration of lead is ≥ 0.1% by weight of the PVC material, the placing on the market or use of lead in articles produced from PVC is not allowed.

Exemption / Grace Period:

Until	Exemption
28 May 2025	For PVC articles containing recovered flexible PVC
28 May 2033	For the following PVC articles containing recovered rigid PVC, if the concentration of lead is lower than 1.5% by weight of the recovered rigid PVC: (a) profiles and sheets for exterior applications in buildings and civil engineering works, excluding decks and terraces; (b) profiles and sheets for decks and terraces, provided that the recovered PVC is used in a middle layer and is entirely covered with a layer of PVC or other material for which the concentration of lead is lower than 0.1% by weight; (c) profiles and sheets for use in concealed spaces or voids in buildings and civil engineering works (where they are inaccessible during normal use, excluding maintenance, for example, cable ducts); (d) profiles and sheets for interior building applications, provided that the entire surface of the profile or sheet facing the occupied areas of a building after installation is produced using PVC or other material for which the concentration of lead is lower than 0.1% by weight; (e) multi-layer pipes (excluding pipes for drinking water), provided that the recovered PVC is used in a middle layer and is entirely covered with a layer of PVC or other material for which the concentration of lead is lower than 0.1% by weight; (f) fittings, excluding fittings for pipes for drinking water.
28 May 2033	PVC-silica separators in lead acid batteries
	Articles covered by paragraph 1, in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 5, and by paragraph 7 in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 10
	Articles within the scope of: (i) Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004; (ii) Directive 2011/65/EU; (iii) Directive 94/62/EC; (iv) Directive 2009/48/EC.