EU-OSHA: Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards highlight examples of managing dangerous substances in the workplace

In the framework of the 14th Good Practice Award competition, 6 organisations were awarded and 4 organisations were commended that take an innovative approach to successfully tackling the risks posed by hazardous substances.

The award recognises organisations with an outstanding commitment to occupational safety and health (OSH) and promote practices that protect workers and boost productivity. The 2018-2019 competition is a key part of EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces Manage Dangerous Substances campaign https://healthy-workplaces.eu/.

The awarded examples include the use or substitution of hazardous substances from the hairdressing sector to the construction sector.

Learn more about the examples in the Good Practice Awards booklet: https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-publications/publications/healthy-workplaces-good-practice-awards-2018-2019/view.

The award ceremony will take place at the Healthy Workplaces Summit in Bilbao in November 2019.

Source: https://osha.europa.eu/en/about-eu-osha/press-room/healthy-workplaces-good-practice-awards-highlight-examples-managing

INERIS informs about applications and alternatives for alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs)

The French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS) offers information provided by companies on the alternatives available for three families of substances: bisphenols, phthalates and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) on the information platform „Chemicals substitution“.

In the latest newsletter (September 2019), applications and alternatives for alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) were summarized. APEOs are nonionic surfactants. The two most prominent subgroups are ethoxylated octylyphenols and ethoxylated nonylphenols. For the latter group of substances, alcohol ethoxylates can be used as substitute.

Read more about APEOs: https://substitution.ineris.fr/en/newsletters/archive

New label for textiles: Minister Gerd Müller presents a new national textile label “Grüner Knopf“

On 09.09.19, Federal Development Minister Dr. Gerd Müller presented a new national textile label “Grüner Knopf” (http://www.gruener-knopf.de/). 27 companies are taking part in the initial phase. They have all successfully passed the demanding requirements of social and ecological sustainability (e.g. free from SVHC) for the textile label. Details can be found in the press release of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Further, useful links:

• A survey on sustainability labels for different type of products, i.a. textiles, can be found on the website https://www.siegelklarheit.de.
• A starting point for chemical management of textiles, especially for small and middle-sized companies, can be found on the webpages of ChemSec: https://tool.textileguide.chemsec.org/

BAuA-Event “Perspectives of Substitution of Isothiazolinones as Preservatives (In-can Preservatives) in Paints, Varnishes and Adhesives” – Save the date

On 28th May 2020, an information and dialogue event will take place at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in Dortmund on the topic “Perspectives of the substitution of isothiazolinones as preservatives (In-can preservatives) in paints, varnishes and adhesives”.

The event will focus on:

• Legal framework for the use of preservatives (in particular the Biocide Ordinance)
• Possibilities for reducing the use of preservatives (e.g. allergy paints)
• Substitution of preservatives by innovative combinations of active ingredients, mixtures and alternative manufacturing technologies
• Results of the BAuA research project on the substitution of preservatives (In-can preservatives) in paints, varnishes and adhesives

Further information on the program and registration formalities will be published here.

Second meeting of the substitution and innovation network – presentations online

ECHA has published the presentations of the „Second meeting of the substitution and innovation network“, which took place in Helsinki on 29th May 2019.

In order to promote innovative and sustainable solutions for substitution, ECHA organised a network meeting with the focus on the exchange of experience and information between different stakeholders.

Read more about the meeting (here) and what Dr. Michaela Clever said about SUBSPORTplus (Presentation).

For additional information: ECHA Website section on substitution, in particular documentations of further substitution events.

Belgian roadmap for substitution of SVHC published

The FPS Economy, the Ministry of Economy of Belgium, led a study in 2019 to examine how to develop a global vision for the substitution of substances of very high concern (SVHC) in the Belgian context.

This study comes to the conclusion that an effective Belgian strategy should be organised around two pillars:

• a combination of information and regulatory and economic instruments;
• a combination of transversal and vertical actions focused on priority themes specific to Belgium.

The study also contains a wealth of information on European, federal and regional support programmes, including the conditions for obtaining financial support.

Study „Development of a strategic roadmap for the substitution of SVHC as part of a sustainable economy“ (April 2019)

Source: https://economie.fgov.be/fr/nouveautes/substitution-des-substances

Two reports on substitution of chemicals published by the OECD

The OECD has published an analysis on approaches to support substitution and on alternatives assessment and a synthesis report of the workshop on these topics organized in May 2018.

The first report (dated Feb. 2019) describes and gives a list of approaches developed across countries and by different stakeholders to support alternatives assessment and substitution of chemicals of concern.

The second report (dated Feb. 2019) is a summary of the workshop on chemicals substitution held in May 2018, among the topics:
• the approaches used to support substitution and alternatives assessments;
• the strengths of the approaches and challenges to design and implementation;
• initiatives to facilitate data sharing and other collaborative efforts.

For additional information: http://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/testing/substitution-of-hazardous-chemicals.htm

Substitution of chrome plating for the rolls of skin-pass mill

The European Commission has published a study „Substitution of chrome plating for the rolls of skin-pass mill“ in 2016. This is the final report of the project CrFreeRolls, which intended to scan and evaluate techniques potentially replacing chrome plating in the skin-pass application.

BAuA-Event “Perspectives of Substitution of Chromium(VI) – Do the Alternatives Work and Are They Affordable?”

The Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) hosted an event about substitution of chromium(VI) in Dortmund on the 14th January 2019. Information was provided on alternative solutions for functional/hard and decorative chrome plating. The event was attended by 200 participants.

The presentations (mainly in German) are available here.

BAuA-Event “Substitution or Authorisation under REACH”

The Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) hosted an event titled “Substitution or Authorisation under REACH” in Dortmund on the 5th October 2017. The event focusses on the influence of REACH authorisation on substitution.

The presentations (mainly in German) are available here.