On 2/06/2021, the European Commission requested ECHA to prepare an evaluation report to assist the Commission with its review of the derogation in paragraph 4 of entry 23 of Annex XVII to REACH for cadmium and its compounds in mixtures and articles containing recovered polymers or copolymers of vinyl chloride (PVC). The Commission asked ECHA to determine the current quantities and average cadmium concentration of post-consumer rigid PVC waste and the recovered PVC obtained from it, related to certain applications, and to review the hazards associated with cadmium (human health and the environment) as well as the risks associated with the use of recovered PVC containing cadmium.

The restriction of cadmium and its compounds in products containing recycled PVC widely using in the industry. The restriction of cadmium and its compounds generic limit value of 0.01 % weight by weight for cadmium compounds but in the market Recycled PVC allowed to use very high concentration value of 0.1% w/w.

So, the evaluation concludes that the current limit value associated with derogation for recycled PVC articles could be reduced for example to 0.08% w/w without major impact on current recycling rates this limit doesn’t help to improve the product safety or environmental protection as a result of tighter limit is lead to improve the healthy environmental pollution in a short period.

Reference: https://echa.europa.eu/completed-activities-on-restriction