Topics
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Environment / IED
Assuring environmental best practice is a key goal of SiCMa. A reference document on Best Available Techniques for the Manufacture of „Large Volume Inorganic Chemicals – Solids and Others Industry“ is available and also contains a BREF chapter on silicon carbide.
For more information, materials or comments on the environmental activities of SiCMa, please contact us.
Emission Trading
The scope of the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) for silicon carbide manufacturers depends on several parameters and SiCMa serves as an „exchange platform“ on this topic for its members.
For questions, comments or further information related to emission trading and energy taxes, just contact us.
Health and Safety
Improving health and safety in the areas of production and processing of silicon carbide is a key target of SiCMa. The Association is closely following and contributing to ongoing studies by various research institutions in Europe.
Several guidance documents and scientific publications are available on health and safety related aspects of silicon carbide, such as a REACH compliant SDS guideline for silicon carbide products.
Furthermore SiCMa is administering an internal database with significant literature entries on silicon carbide published over the past decades.
For the Classification of SiC crude and grains and SiC fibers please see section CLP.
For more information, materials or comments on the health and safety related activities of SiCMa, just contact us.
REACH
REACH, the EC Regulation No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, entered into force in the entire European Economic Area on 1 June 2007. The regulation applies to all silicon carbide manufacturers who have production plants inside Europe, to all European importers of silicon carbide and to Only Representatives of silicon carbide producers outside the European Economic Area.
SiCMa has prepared a REACH registration dossier for silicon carbide (crude and grains, see also substance ID) which has been successfully submitted to ECHA. The joint submission procedures for silicon carbide are established and ongoing. Companies that have registration obligations and are interested in purchasing a letter of access are encouraged to contact us for details and conditions.
The implementation of REACH is supervised by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki, Finland. Further information and latest updates on the REACH Regulation can be found on the ECHA website web site.
Assessment of Regulatory Needs – Group Name: Simple inorganic Silicon (Si) compounds
As Silicon Carbide is mentioned in the ECHA report “Assessment of Regulatory Needs – Group Name: Simple inorganic Silicon (Si) compounds”, published 6 January 2023 SiCMa has carefully assessed this document.
From our point of view the report contains some obviously wrong statements and necessary distinctions are missing. We have communicated these shortcomings to ECHA and expect a correction in the coming weeks.
The main mistake concerns the missing distinction between SiC crude and grain on one side and SiC fibres on the other side.
The REACH registration for SiC concerns SiC crude and grain which is placed on the markets worldwide in high volumes. There is no scientific investigation that has identified any risk with SiC crude and grains. There is no classification for SiC crude and grains. There is no need for any regulatory action concerning SiC crude and grain.
Silicon Carbide fibres are excluded from the registration dossier, and they are – to our knowledge – not placed on the market. SiC fibres are classified as carc 1B concerning the risk for causing cancer. (see Annex VI of the REACH regulation). As SiC fibres do not occur on the market there is as well no need for regulatory action.
In the report also aquatic toxicity is addressed. Please be informed that for SiC aquatic toxicity tests have been done. Following these tests SiC is officially classified as non-hazardous to water in Germany.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us (Dr. Reinhard Joas, Anne Marie Moe if you have questions or comments.
CLP
CLP – Classification of SiC
The EC Regulation No 1272/2008 on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation) came into force in January 2009 and requires that European companies classify substances placed on the market.
No classification for SiC products
SiC crude and grain (CAS 409-21-2) is not classified as a hazardous substance. With respect to the classification of SiC fibres SiCMa prepared a notice to explain the current situation: Statement of the Silicon Carbide Manufacturers
SiCMa would like to confirm that SiC intentionally does not contain any substance listed in the candidate list for substances of very high concern. SiCMa members follow very closely the developments of the candidate list and in case of the presence of such a substance in products produced by SiCMa members they will inform their clients automatically as foreseen under the REACH Regulation.
Assessment of Regulatory Needs (ARN) for SiC finalised
After intervention and scientific argumentation of SiCMa the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) now considers SiC crude and grains as non-hazardous material.
Furthermore, ECHA does no longer see any need for regulatory action concerning SiC crude and grains. Quoting ECHA: “This is also reflected in the regulatory strategy table where Silicon Carbide is listed as no potential hazard to human health or the environment”.
Please review the ECHA ARN document for your information.
For any questions regarding the CLP notification of silicon carbide please visit the ECHA website or contact us.
