EU REACH – ECHA adds DBDPE to the Candidate List

Vol. 1497 | 10 Nov 2025

On 5 November 2025, ECHA added 1,1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) to the REACH Candidate List, bringing the total to 251 substances of very high concern (SVHC). DBDPE is very persistent and bioaccumulative, used as a flame retardant. Companies must provide safe use information and notify ECHA if concentrations exceed 0.1% by weight.

On 5 November 2025, ECHA added one 1,1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE) to the SVHC Candidate List.

DBDPE has very persistent and very bioaccumulative properties and is used as a flame retardant in various industries.

The Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC) now contains 251 entries for chemicals that can harm people or the environment.

Substance name	EC number	CAS number	Reason for inclusion	Examples of uses
1,1'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[pentabromobenzene] (DBDPE)	284-366-9	84852-53-9	Very persistent and very bioaccumulative, vPvB (Article 57e)	Flame retardant

Consequences of inclusion on the Candidate List

Under REACH, companies have legal obligations when their substance is included – either on its own, in mixtures or in articles – in the Candidate List.

If an article contains a Candidate List substance above a concentration of 0.1 % (weight by weight), suppliers have to give their customers and consumers information on how to use it safely. Consumers have the right to ask suppliers if the products they buy contain substances of very high concern.

Importers and producers of articles have to notify ECHA if their article contains a Candidate List substance within six months from the date it has been included in the list (5 November 2025).

EU and EEA suppliers of substances on the Candidate List, supplied either on their own or in mixtures, have to update the safety data sheet they provide to their customers.

Under the Waste Framework Directive, companies also have to notify ECHA if the articles they produce contain substances of very high concern in a concentration above 0.1 % (weight by weight). This notification is published in ECHA’s database of substances of concern in products (SCIP).

Under the EU Ecolabel Regulation, products containing SVHCs cannot have the ecolabel award. 

You can access the notification by ECHA through the following:

https://echa.europa.eu/-/echa-adds-one-hazardous-chemical-to-the-candidate-list-2

You can view the full candidate list of SVHCs through the following:
http://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/candidate-list-table

 

If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Kathy Leung (Kathy.Leung@intertek.com) or Dr. Ben Cheng (Ben.PS.Cheng@intertek.com)

 

If you have any questions, please contact: