Scoping study for the application of Article 68(2) of REACH to construction articles containing CMR substances with likelihood of consumer exposure : final report

Construction articles may release substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction and classified Category 1A or 1B (CMR 1A/1B). Releases may occur during installation and service life. Through various sources and strategies 31 CMR 1A/1B substances were identified that may be present in construction articles present on the European market. It was investigated whether the presence of CMR 1A/1B substances in construction articles actually resulted in releases. For some substances (e.g. formaldehyde), consumer exposure has been demonstrated (emission data, indoor air monitoring data). For other substances, monitoring data suggest that they do not occur in indoor environments, and thus the articles do not lead to consumer exposure. However, for the majority of the substances, the evidence is less clear and more monitoring data are needed to make a sound assessment. In 2015 eight resilient floor coverings and two wall papers purchased on the Belgian retail market were tested (content, dermal exposure, and test chambers emissions) for the presence and release of t 71 CMR 1A/1B substances. Measurements only showed low emissions (1-10 μg/m³) of formaldehyde after 3 days for three of the tested materials. No other CMR 1A/1B substances were detected in any of the 10 articles.