ECHA concludes on methanol restriction

Helsinki, 9 December 2015 –The Committee for Socio-economic Assessment (SEAC) and The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) concluded their opinions on Poland's proposal to restrict the concentration limits of methanol in windscreen washing fluids and denaturated ethanol.

This proposal aims to eliminate poisoning caused by consumption of windshield washing fluids and denaturated alcohol containing methanol. RAC adopted an opinion on such restriction that methanol in windscreen washing fluids and denaturated ethanol should be less than 0.6%. However, SEAC objected it.

SEAC will open a 60-day public consultation and intends to conclude the final opinion in March 2016.

Besides, RAC and SEAC also conclude the preliminary assessment on three applications for authorisation. They agreed on the draft opinions for one use of sodium chromate, sodium dichromate and 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC): use of EDC as a process and extracting solvent in the manufacture of pharmaceutical ingredients; use of sodium chromate as an anticorrosion agent of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators; and use of sodium dichromate in copper/lead separation in concentrators handling complex sulphide ores.