Environmental hazard profile

• Author: Clemm, Christan; Löw, Clara; Baron, Yifaat; Moch, Katja; Möller, Martin; Köhler, Andreas R; Gensch, Carl-Otto; Deubzer, Otmar
• Pages: 24-25

RoHS Annex II Dossier, final

Nickel sulphate and nickel sulfamate

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4. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD PROFILE

The 2008 EU RAR on the environment addressed nickel together with other nickel compounds,

among them nickel sulphate. The EU RAR (2008) concludes that nickel ion is responsible for the

toxic action of nickel in the environment. An environmental assessment of nickel metal, compiled in

a DEPA report (DEPA 2015),38 explains that the nickel ion is highly toxic in the environment. The

actual toxicity of a nickel compound depends on the solubility of the nickel substance and the

bioavailability of nickel ion in the environment.

4.1. Endpoints of concern

Due to the aquatic toxicity of the nickel ion, an environmental quality standard (EQS) for nickel in

freshwater is set at 4 g Ni/l (bioavailable) and the marine water 8.6 g Ni/l, adopted through

Directive 2013/39/EU.

The aquatic toxicity is also reflected by the harmonised classification of the CLP Regulation, which

classifies nickel sulphate and nickel sulfamate as acute and chronic toxic to the aquatic

environment (H400 - Very toxic to aquatic life and H410 - Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting

effects).

According to the background document for the RMOA for nickel sulphate,39 an assessment has

been completed in 2012 by DEPA on the chronic effects (and potential risks) on freshwater

sediment organisms completing the existing environmental risk assessment for nickel compounds.

DEPA considered no risk management measure to be appropriate under the REACH Regulation,

but expressed the need for other community-wide measures, such as:

• the establishment of an environmental quality standard for freshwater sediment under the WFD

Directive;

• the need for a revision of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) reference documents (so-called

BREF) in relation to nickel plating to protect specifically the freshwater sediment compartment

also through the Industrial Emission Directive.

4.2. Potential for secondary poisoning and bioaccumulation

The EU RAR (2008) on nickel and its compounds summarises that nickel does bioaccumulate in

aquatic biota but that the bioaccumulation factors are generally low and do not appear to

biomagnify. Furthermore, the EU RAR (2008) concludes that the risk for secondary poisoning is

considered as being low.

38 Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2015): Survey of nickel metal, Part of the LOUS review, Environmental

project No. 1723, 2015; https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2015/06/978-87-93352-36-0.pdf, last viewed

18.06.2018

39 Op. cit. France and Anses (2014)