SVHC ,“Substance of Very High Concern”, refers to any substance that has adverse effects on human health and the environment.

In April 2025, New Mexico passed the Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances Protection Act, aimed at strengthening the regulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to protect human health and the environment.

To assist enterprises, member state regulatory authorities, and the public in understanding the new rules, the European Commission released the Implementation Guide for the REACH Microplastics Restriction (Annex XVII Entry 78) in April 2025. Developed by ECHA in collaboration with member states, the guide is non-binding but provides detailed instructions for implementing the regulation.

On 1 April 2025, Regulation (EU) 2025/660 was published by the European Commission, amending Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (EU REACH). The revision specifically addresses polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in clay targets used for shooting.

On March 19, 2025, The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced significant advancements in chemical regulation following the first joint meeting of its Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) in 2025. The committees reached multiple technical consensuses on key issues, including the proposed restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking a new phase in the EU’s chemical regulatory framework.

On February 28, 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) initiated a public consultation under the EU REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regarding proposals to list three substances as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). Stakeholders may submit scientific or technical comments by April 14, 2025.

India initiated a mandatory certification review process for multiple key chemicals, aiming to enforce Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification through Quality Control Orders (QCOs). According to an announcement by the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) has formally requested the ICC to conduct compliance assessments for 49 chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer sectors. Once approved, these chemicals will fall under the QCO framework, prohibiting the production, sale, import, or export of non-BIS-certified products.

On February 18, 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed adding n-hexane to the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) Candidate List due to its probable serious effects on human health. Currently, the relevant dossier for n-hexane is being actively prepared by the proposer and is expected to be submitted by August 4, 2025.

January 21, 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has officially announced the 33rd batch of 5 substances of very high concern (SVHC), bringing the total number of substances on the SVHC list (also known as the Candidate List) to 247.

Recently, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and related regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the listing of five chemical substances as high-priority substances for risk assessment. This decision took effect on December 18, 2024.