Chemical supervision in the UK has been drastically tightened after Brexit. In 2026, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued multiple new SVHC control regulations. In June, 15 new substances were added to the UK REACH Candidate List, followed by a public consultation on 9 additional substances launched in July. The UK’s post-Brexit new regulatory strategy has been fully rolled out, with frequent list updates becoming routine. Manufacturers and suppliers exporting electronics, textiles, coatings, daily chemicals, lithium batteries and other goods to the UK must attach great importance to compliance risks.
After the end of the Brexit transition period in 2021, UK chemical supervision has been fully separated from the EU system. It has shifted from passively following EU updates to a dual model of independent domestic control synchronized with EU SVHC alignment, significantly raising compliance thresholds. Enterprises retaining outdated compliance thinking will easily encounter missing notifications, excessive substance content and illegal downstream information disclosure.
I. Changes in Regulatory Logic
On 24 February 2026, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) repealed the old temporary supervision rules and released a new control strategy — the core driver of this round of 15 SVHC additions:
1、Deep alignment with the EU: All SVHC substances identified by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will be rapidly reviewed and incorporated into the UK Candidate List, narrowing chemical control gaps between the UK and EU and cutting enterprises’ dual compliance costs.
2、Retention of independent control power: The HSE may independently add controlled substances based on domestic industrial and environmental risks, leaving room for stricter local standards.
3、Routine list updates: The previous slow update cycle of several years has been abolished; new SVHC substances will be added frequently to continuously expand the control scope.
The 15 substances added in June are the first batch under the new strategy, bringing the total number of substances on the UK REACH Candidate List to 224.
II. List of 15 Newly Added Substances
All newly added substances are CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction) high-risk chemicals widely used in exported products including electrical & electronic goods, textiles, polyurethane coatings, daily fragrances, lithium batteries and 3D printing materials. Enterprises may cross-check against material lists:
No. | Substance / Substance Group Name | Reason for Inclusion | Main Applications |
1 | 2,2',6,6'-Tetrabromo-4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (TBBPA) | Carcinogenicity | Brominated flame retardants for printed circuit boards, paper, textiles, etc. |
2 | BMP, TBNPA, 2,3-DBPA (substance group) | Carcinogenicity | Reactive flame retardants for polyurethane foams, resins, etc. |
3 | Lilial (Lysmeral) and its stereoisomers | Toxic to reproduction | Fragrance ingredient for cosmetics, cleaning products and scented goods |
4 | Photoinitiator 379 (Omnirad) | Toxic to reproduction | Photoinitiator for UV-curable inks and coatings |
5 | 6,6'-Di-tert-butyl-2,2'-methylenedi-p-cresol (DBMC) | Toxic to reproduction | Antioxidants for rubber & plastics, adhesives, lubricant additives |
6 | Tetra-PSCA | Toxic to reproduction | Corrosion inhibitors, metalworking additives, surfactant intermediates |
7 | Barium tetraborate | Toxic to reproduction | Pigments, flame-retardant coatings, paint thinners |
8 | Tetraglyme (Tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether) | Toxic to reproduction | Special solvents for welding supplies, inks, lithium batteries |
9 | Di(α,α-dimethylbenzyl) peroxide | Toxic to reproduction | Cross-linking agent for rubber and plastics |
10 | DOTL group (dioctyltin derivatives) | Toxic to reproduction | Catalysts for polyurethane synthesis, stabilizers for plastics & rubber |
11 | Photoinitiator TPO | Toxic to reproduction | UV-curable coatings, inks, 3D printing materials |
12 | N-(Hydroxymethyl)acrylamide | Carcinogenic, mutagenic | Cross-linking monomers for wrinkle-free textile finishing |
13 | Sodium tetraborate salts | Toxic to reproduction | Glass manufacturing, detergent formulations, corrosion inhibitors |
14 | Reactive Brown 51 | Toxic to reproduction | Textile dye |
15 | Tris(2-methoxyethoxy)vinylsilane | Toxic to reproduction | Coupling agents, sealants, surface modifiers |
III. Expanding Control Scope with Rising Risks
The list expansion is not yet complete. The HSE launched a public consultation covering 9 new chemical substances on 9 July.
Based on current regulatory progress, these substances are highly likely to be formally added to the SVHC list shortly after public feedback collection closes. Enterprises are advised to collect material formula data in advance and conduct substitution assessments to avoid passive rectification after the new rules take effect.
IV. Compliance Implementation Plan for Export Enterprises
Discard temporary remedial measures and embed UK REACH compliance into the full supply chain workflow. Four core tasks must be completed:
1、Full supply chain material traceability screening
Sort complete product BOM lists and raw material formulations, focus on the 15 newly added substances plus the 9 pending substances under consultation, and build dedicated SVHC compliance ledgers to categorize high-risk materials.
2、Strict upstream and downstream information disclosure obligations
If any SVHC substance accounts for more than 0.1% by mass in an article, active safety information must be provided to downstream clients; inquiries from end consumers must be replied within 45 days. Enterprises producing or selling mixtures and pure chemicals shall update SDS (Safety Data Sheets complying with UK CLP standards).
3、Timely HSE official notification
SVHC notification to the UK HSE is mandatory if both conditions are met:
① The mass concentration of SVHC in the article exceeds 0.1%;
② Annual import / production volume of the article exceeds 1 ton.
Enterprises only have a 6-month notification window after substances are added to the list. Late notification will result in penalties and product delisting risks.
4、Advance development of high-risk substance substitution schemes
For SVHC raw materials that cannot be quickly removed from production processes, conduct dual technical and cost assessments to screen low-hazard alternative materials, preparing for potential future UK authorization and restriction bans and extending the compliant service life of products.
Long-term regulatory trends post-Brexit: UK chemical supervision will remain independent, stricter and subject to frequent list updates with no prospect of relaxed controls.
Foreign trade manufacturers and supply chain purchasers focusing on the UK market shall establish a routine SVHC update monitoring mechanism, track official HSE announcements, and integrate chemical compliance checks into product R&D and raw material procurement to eliminate trade barriers and compliance penalties at the source and stabilize UK shipment channels.
