Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2015/863 of 31 March 2015 amending Annex II to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the list of restricted substances (Text with EEA relevance)

• Published date: 04 June 2015
• Subject Matter: Environment,Approximation of laws
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 137, 4 June 2015

4.6.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 137/10

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COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/863

of 31 March 2015

amending Annex II to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the list of restricted substances

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, (1) and in particular Article 6(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Directive 2011/65/EU lays down rules on the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) with a view to contributing to the protection of human health and the environment, including the environmentally sound recovery and disposal of waste EEE.

(2) Directive 2011/65/EU prohibits the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the Union market. Annex II to that Directive lists those restricted substances.

(3) The risks to human health and the environment arising from the use of Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) should be considered a priority in the periodic review of the list of restricted substances in Annex II. With a view to further restrictions, the substances that were subject to previous assessments should be re-investigated.

(4) In accordance with Article 6(1) of Directive 2011/65/EU, interested parties, including economic operators, recyclers, treatment operators, environmental organisations and employee and consumer associations, have been consulted and a thorough assessment has been performed.

(5) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) are substances of very high concern (SVHC). DIBP is a substance that can be used as a substitute for DBP and was subject to previous assessments performed by the Commission. The available evidence indicates that those four substances, when used in EEE, can have a negative impact on recycling and on human health and the environment during EEE waste management operations.

(6) Substitutes that have less negative impacts are available for DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP in most EEE. The use of those substances in EEE should therefore be restricted. DEHP, BBP and DBP are already restricted through entry 51 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, (2) so that toys containing DEHP, BBP or DBP in a concentration greater than 0,1 % by weight of the plasticised material, calculated for the three phthalates cumulatively, cannot be placed on the EU market. In order to avoid double regulation, the restriction

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