[Owner: Product Safety | Version:2 | Date: March 2018]

Chemical substances of special concern to Essity Business

Chemical substances in Table 1 shall not be intentionally added to goods as defined in the introduction of this document supplied to Essity. 

Known or suspected content of non-intentionally added substances from Table 1, including residual monomers, shall be communicated to  and will be assessed case by case. 

In addition it has to be secured that the content of substances on the REACH candidate list never exceed 0.1%. Appropriate confirmation is requested.

To note:

Residual monomers are not considered as intentionally added but are process driven impurities. 

Exceptions from the list may exist for specific goods after approval from Essity .

Chemical substances in Table 2 are of special concern and their presence in goods/ materials supplied to Essity as a result of intentional or non-intentional addition will be assessed in each individual case. Known and suspected presence of substances in Table 2 shall be communicated to Essity

Please note that these lists are not exhaustive.

In addition to this Annex& Essity has defined further specific requirements or Essity positions for various types of goods, e.g. materials for hygiene absorbent materials, perfumes, merchandised products, etc.; These documents will be communicated accordingly via the respective Essity contacts.

The chemicals listed in the Table 1 and 2 below refer to all goods supplied to Essity. Due the wide variation of products, some chemical substances listed might not be of relevance for the supplied goods at all. Furthermore, some of the listed chemicals might have specific limits in the specific requirements for the goods in question.

Table 1. Chemical substance:

  • Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or toxic to Reproduction (CMR) substances in Category 1A and 1B with Hazard statements: H340, H350 and H360 according to UN-GHS1 and  Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) 2 and amendments
  • Allergens classified with Hazard statements: H317 according to UN-GHS1 and  Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) 2 and amendments (for fragrance components, preservatives and biocides see Table 2) 
  • Substances identified as PBT/vPvB substances, according to EU REACH Regulation No. 1907/2006 and amendments
  • All substances in the REACH candidate list of EU REACH Regulation 1907/2006  
  • Certain metals and their compounds (cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium and nickel), exemptions may be made for chromium (3+) in certain applications
  • Phthalates 
  • Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
  • Organotin compounds 
  • Alkylphenols and their ethoxylates
  • Bisphenol A (BPA) and other Bisphenol derivatives
  • PVC

Table 2. (Non-exhaustive) Chemical substance:

  • Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or toxic to Reproduction (CMR) substances in Category 2 with Hazard statements: H341, H351 and H361 according to according to UN-GHS1 Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP)2, or are under review by official regulatory bodies, e.g. IARC.
  • Environmental hazardous substances with hazard statements: H400 and H410 according to according to UN-GHS1, and Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP)
  • Recognized or documented allergens (e.g fragrances, preservatives, biocides etc)
  • Recognized or documented hormone disturbing substances (endocrine disruptors)
  • Chemical substances on the California Proposition 65 list
  • Substances restricted in toys regulations (2009/48/EC and amendments)
  • Substances restricted in Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste and amendments
  • Substances restricted in Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS directive) and amendments
  • Substances identified on the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action
  • Certain metals and their organic and inorganic compounds (e.g silver, copper, cobalt, antimony, selenium)
  • Halogenated organic compounds
  • Azo colourants, Aromatic amines
  • Natural rubber (latex)

1 The United Nations Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals

2 Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures