ECHA Updates Evaluation Stats, Boosts Chemical Safety

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released updated statistics on its annual evaluation progress, highlighting significant strides in ensuring chemical safety in the EU. The latest figures reveal the Agency’s ongoing efforts to ensure that chemicals used in the market are safe for both people and the environment.

Key Statistics on Chemical Evaluations

As of February 2025, ECHA has evaluated 15,500 registration dossiers, which represent 23% of all submitted dossiers between 2009 and 2024. These dossiers cover 3,200 unique chemicals. Notably, 34% of high-volume chemicals—those registered at quantities of 100 tons or more annually—have undergone evaluation. By keeping these chemical safety records up to date, ECHA helps mitigate the potential risks these substances may pose to human health and the environment.

In response to these evaluations, ECHA has updated its guidance for registrants, advising how to improve their dossiers based on the findings of recent assessments.

2024 Compliance Checks and Data Requests

In 2024, ECHA conducted 313 compliance checks, scrutinizing nearly 2,000 registrations and evaluating 272 individual substances. These checks focused primarily on identifying potential data gaps in the registration dossiers. Following these evaluations, ECHA issued 208 decisions to companies, requesting additional data to clarify the long-term effects of chemicals on human health or the environment.

Furthermore, ECHA reviewed 161 testing proposals submitted by industry to ensure the safe use of chemicals, issuing 92 decisions in response to these proposals.

Follow-Up and Enforcement Actions

After receiving additional information from companies, ECHA assesses whether the data provided complies with the REACH regulations. In 2024, the Agency completed this evaluation for 241 substances. In approximately 70% of cases, companies provided the requested information. However, in the remaining 30% of cases, where companies did not meet the required standards, the Agency notified EU Member States for further enforcement actions.

Substance Evaluation Decisions

ECHA also adopted three substance evaluation decisions that were prepared by EU Member States. These decisions requested further information to assess the safety of substances that may pose potential risks to human health or the environment.

Through these ongoing evaluations and compliance checks, ECHA continues to ensure that the chemicals circulating in the EU market are thoroughly assessed and managed, protecting both public health and the environment.