EU REACH: EC Decision identified TMA as SVHC

On 19 April 2018, the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) published Decision (EU) No 2018/594¹, which identified benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2 anhydride (trimellitic anhydride) (TMA) as substance of very high concern (SVHC). The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will include this substance to the SVHC Candidate List² in the next scheduled update in the end of June or beginning of July.

TMA had undergone the public consultation of REACH SVHC Candidate List during September to October of 2016. However, the Member State Committee (MSC) did not unanimously agree on the identification of substance, and TMA was not included into the SVHC Candidate List in January 2017. Afterwards, the MSC’s comments³ were submitted to the European Commission (EC) for decisions making.

In line with the majority opinion of the MSC, the EC decided to identify TMA as a SVHC due to its respiratory sensitising properties.

Table A below gives the substance name, identification number (CAS and EC), the reason for inclusion and the potential applications of TMA.

Substance Name

CAS Number

(EC Number)

Reason for inclusion

Potential Application

Benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2-anhydride (trimellitic anhydride) (TMA)

552-30-7
(209-008-0)

Respiratory sensitising properties (Article 57(f)) – human health)