Wordlist
The word list contains words, concepts, abbreviations and acronyms occurring in texts on this website or in linked documents. In some cases, links are made to more information.
A
Accounting report
An excerpt from the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Products Register containing data about the substances a company has reported.
Actor
Means all manufacturers and/or importers and/or downstream users in a supply chain. (REACH)
ADI
Acceptable Daily Intake. A measure of the amount of a specific substance (originally applied for a food additive, later also for a residue of a veterinary drug or pesticide) in food or drinking water that can be ingested (orally) on a daily basis over a lifetime without an appreciable health risk. Usually expressed in milligrams (of the substance) per kilograms of body weight per day.
AISE
Association Internationale de la Savonnerire, de la Détergence et des Produits d´Entretien.
Allergen
A substance capable of stimulating hypersensitivity reaction.
Alloy
A metallic material, homogenous in macroscopic scale, consisting of one or several elements combined in such a way that they cannot be separated in a mechanical way.
AMAP
Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
Antifouling products
Chemical products that prevent growth on aquatic organisms on boats and ships.
AOEL
Acceptable Operator Exposure Level. Highest acceptable exposure dose for a human being.
ARM
Accelerated Risk Management.
Article
Commodity, for example a chair or textiles containing or treated with a chemical product.
Means an object which during production is given a special shape, surface or design which determines its function to a greater degree than does its chemical composition. (REACH)
ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
ASEF
Asia-Europe Environment Forum.
ASEM
ASP
The Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP) is working to clean up obsolete pesticides, dispose of them safely and prevent more stocks from accumulating.
B
Background level
1.The concentration of a substance in an environmental media (air, water, or soil) that occurs naturally or is not the result of human activities. 2. In exposure assessment the concentration of a substance in a defined control area, during a fixed period of time before, during, or after a data-gathering operation. (ecology.dictionary.org)
BASTA
Nonprofit Swedish company aiming to phase out hazardous substances in building products.
BAT
Best Available Technology.
BATNEEC
Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs.
BBP
Bensylbutylphalate.
BCF
Bio Concentration Factor. Gives a value of the concentration of a substance inside the organism, compared with the surrounding environment (often water).
Bioaccumulating substances
Substances that accumulate in tissue.
Biocide
Biocide is latin and means destroying living organisms.
Biological pesticide
A biological pesticide shall mean a biotechnical organism that is produced specifically to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms, including viruses, from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 6, the Environmental Code).
Biomagnification
Increased concentration of lipophilic environmental toxins in the food chain.
Biosphere
All living organisms.
Biotechnical organism
A biotechnical organism shall mean a product that is produced specifically as a control agent or for any other technical purpose and which, wholly or in part, consists of or contains living microorganisms, including viruses, or nematodes, insects or arachnids. (Chapter 14 kap, Section 3, the Environmental Code).
Biotope
Type of nature conditions, living environment.
BIR
Basic Information Requirement.
BIT
Benzisotiazolinone.
BPA Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A, also 4,4'-dihydroxy-2,2-diphenylpropane and BPA, is one of the world’s most common plastic chemicals. Bisphenol A is an organic compound where two phenol molecules are bound to the same coal in a propane chain.
Brominated flame retardants
Material used to protect against fire in plastic, rubber and textile and which contains the substance bromine.
Brundtland Commission
UN commission led by Gro Harlem Brundtland, who in 1987 presented the report Our common future. The key concepts of the commission were sustainable development, satisfying our present needs without jeopardising the possibilities of future generations to satisfy theirs.
C
CA
Competent authority.
Candidate list
List containing SVHC-substances in accordance with Article 59 in the REACH Regulation. The substances are candidates to be included in Annex XIV of REACH, which means that authorisation will be required to use them.
CAP
Common Agricultural Policy. (EU)
CARACAL
Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP.
Cardiff process
Started in 1997 in order to integrate environmental consideration in sector politics; includes nine sectors at present.
CAREC
Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation.
Cartagena protocol
Protocol on biosafety, adopted in Cartagena in 2000; an appendix to the Convention on Biodiversity.
CASG Nano
Nano Competent Authorities Subgroup on Nanomaterials.
CAS number
Registration number assigned by the Chemical Abstract Services (CAS), Columbus, Ohio.
CE
Conformité Européenne, labelling symbol.
CEFIC
European Chemical Industry Council.
CEN
Comité Européen de Normalisation - European Committee for Standardization.
Certification
Certificate/proof of compliance with certain standards set up for an area by a standardisation body.
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs are used in cooling, heat and other climate facilities, in chemical products and in foam plastic. Banned according to the Montreal protocol.
Chemical/chemical product
Chemical substance and preparations (mixtures) of chemical substances. Chemical substances may be especially regulated products, i.e. pesticides and other products.
Chemical pesticide
A ‘chemical pesticide’ shall mean a chemical product that is intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms, including viruses, from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
Chlorinated paraffins
Chlorinated hydrocarbons, often used as softeners och flame retardants in plastic. Present in short, medium and long chained variants.
Circa
Communication and Information Resource Centre Administrator. An intranet maintained by the European Commission for readily access to documents and participation in interest groups.
CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted in Washington, D.C., in 1973.
CLEEN
Chemical Legislation European Enforcement Network.
CLH
Classification and Labelling Harmonised.
CLP
EU Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures.
CLRTAP
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
CMR
Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, toxic to Reproduction; CMR-substances.
Cocktail effect
Combined effect of a mixture of chemicals that may be greater than the effect of each single substance by itself.
COD
Chemical Oxygen Demand (measure of the amount of oxygen used when there is a complete chemical degradation of organic substances in water).
Cohiba/COHIBA
Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region. (HELCOM)
CoI
Cost of inaction.
COM
European Commission.
Commercial agent
Person or company who acts in the place of a manufacturer or an importer.
Competent authority
Or CA is one or several national authorities appointed by each EU member state to implement the legislation or represent the member country in workgroups and expert groups.
Consent to a commercial agent
The Swedish Chemicals Agency may allow a commercial agent to fulfil the obligation to report import of a chemical product or biotechnical organism to Sweden in the place of the person responsible for the import.
Consolidated version
Compiled version of a regulatory text which include all amendments in their respective place in the basic piece of legislation.
Contained use
Shall mean an activity in which organisms are genetically modified, cultured, stored, used, transported, destroyed, disposed of or used in any other way, and for which specific containment measures are used to limit their contact with the general population and the environment. (Chapter 13, Section 5, the Environmental Code). Can also apply to chemicals at synthesis, for instance.
COP
Conference of the Parties. (UN convention texts).
Copenhagen Chemicals Charter
Document raising expectations facing the overhaul of the EU chemicals policy; signed by 100 organisations in 2000.
CoRAP
Community Rolling Action Plan (action plan for evaluation of chemicals).
Co-RMS
Co-Reporting Member State.
CPR
Construction Products Regulation (EU).
CREAM
Mechanistic effect models for the ecological risk assessment of chemicals (EU network)
CSD
Commission on Sustainable Development (UN).
CSE
India Centre for Science and Environment.
CSTEE
Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (EC).
Customs tariff
Combined nomenclature of the European Union. It allows compiling, exchanging and publishing statistical data about EU trade with countries outside the EU. The tariff is also used to compile and distribute data on trade between the EU member states. (Council Regulation (EEC) No2658/87).
CWG
Abbreviation for Commission Working Group (EC).
D
DBP
Dibutylphthalate.
DCHP
Dicyclohexylphthalate.
DDE
4,4'Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; degradation product of DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroetan.
deca-BDE
Decabromodiphenylether.
DEET
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.
DEHP
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
Deliberate release
‘Deliberate release’ shall mean any intentional introduction of genetically modified organisms into the environment without containment. (Chapter 13, Section 6, the Swedish Environmental Code).
Derivative
Chemical compound that can be derived from or produced from another chemical compound.
Detergent
Washing and cleaning product.
DG SANCO
Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (EU).
DHNUP
Di(branched and straight C7-C11) alkylphthtalates.
DIBP
Diisobutylphthalate.
DIDP
Diisodecylphthalate.
Diffuse spread
Cumulative exposure of a chemical substance in an area where the release sources are of an indefinable character, for example by being many, small, variable, etcetera.
DIHP
Di(branched C6-C8) alkylphthalates.
DINP
Diisononylphthalate.
Distributor
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, including a retailer, who only stores and places on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, for third parties. (REACH)
DNEL
Derived no effect level; a limit value.
Downstream user
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who uses a substance, either on its own or in a mixture, in the course of his industrial or professional activities. A distributor or a consumer is not a downstream user. A re-importer exempted pursuant to Article 2(7)(c) shall be regarded as a downstream user. (REACH)
E
EC/EU
European Communities/European market, European Union.
ECB
European Chemicals Bureau, predecessor of ECHA, with a few remaining tasks.
European Central Bank.
ECCO
European Commission CO-ordination. The EC administration to coordinate the background documentation (dossier), submitted with an application to have a plant protection product included in Annex I to the Plant Protection Directive. The designated reporting country compiles a report (monograph) to be evaluated by an expert group.
ECHA
European Chemicals Agency.
ECLIPS
European Classification and Labelling Inspections of Preparations. Enforcement project within the EU inspection cooperative activities.
EC number
Seven-digit identification number for chemical substances on the EU market. Substances that were on the market before 18 September are not counted as existing substances and start with 200 or 300.
Substances notified/reported after 18 September 1981 are included in the list of new substances (ELINCS) and start with 400. The number series that starts with 500 includes ‘No longer polymers’ (NLP), i.e. substances which at the first listing were considered polymers and thus not required to be listed in EINECS.
ECVAM
European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (to using animals).
EDC/EDS
Endocrine-disrupting chemical/compound/Endocrine-disrupting substance.
EEA
European Environment Agency (Copenhagen).
EEB
European Environmental Bureau. Cooperation body of non-governmental organisations.
EES
European Economic Sphere (EES countries are Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, and the EU member states).
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority.
Ecosystem
A limited community of organisms constituting a part of nature, for example a lake, a land part or a forest area including its flora and fauna.
EINECS
European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances. Inventory of existing, commercially used chemical substances considered to have been on the European market between 1 January 1971 and 18 September 1981.
ELINCS
European List of Notified Chemical Substances (notified after 1981).
EMAS
Eco Management and Audit Scheme. EU’s voluntary environmental management instrument for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance.
Enforcement guidance
Enforcement guidance includes assessment, follow-up and coordination of the operative enforcement, and support and advice to municipalities.
Enzym
Specific type of protein with a catalytic function. Enzymes are part of the chemical processes of the human body without being absorbed themselves.
Ester
Substance formed by acid and alcohol.
ETU
Ethylenethiourea.
EUR-Lex
European Lex. The EU database portal for publishing EU law, particularly legislation and law practice, and the decision processes between the Commission and the institutions.
Exemption
Waiver.
Existing substance
Substance that was used within the EU before 1 September 1981 and listed in EINECS.
Exposure
Extent to which human beings and the environment are in contact with/exposed to hazardous substances.
Exposure scenario
Means the set of conditions, including operational conditions and risk management measures, that describe how the substance is manufactured or used during its life-cycle and how the manufacturer or importer controls, or recommends downstream users to control, exposures of humans and the environment. These exposure scenarios may cover one specific process or use or several processes or uses as appropriate. (REACH)
F
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization.
First-tier supplier
A manufacturer or a party who enters a product into Sweden with the intention to place it on the market.
Flame retardants
See brominated flame retardants.
Full study report
Means a complete and comprehensive description of the activity performed to generate the information. This covers the complete scientific paper as published in the literature describing the study performed or the full report prepared by the test house describing the study performed. (REACH)
Fungicide
Pesticide to combat fungus.
G
GEF
Global Environment Facility.
Generic name
A company may apply to use a descriptive name (generic name) of a component in a product and put that name on the label or a safety data sheet instead of an unambiguous chemical name.
Genetic organism
Biological entity that can breed and transfer genetic material.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling.
GLP
Good Laboratory Practice. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assesment (SWEDAC) is the competent Swedish authority.
GMO
Genetically modified organism; an organism in which the genetic material is changed in a way that is not naturally occurring by mating or by recombination.
Greenbook/green paper
Green papers are documents published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European level. They invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
Groundwater
Water in the soil or in rock.
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
B
Background level
1.The concentration of a substance in an environmental media (air, water, or soil) that occurs naturally or is not the result of human activities. 2. In exposure assessment the concentration of a substance in a defined control area, during a fixed period of time before, during, or after a data-gathering operation. (ecology.dictionary.org)
BASTA
Nonprofit Swedish company aiming to phase out hazardous substances in building products.
BAT
Best Available Technology.
BATNEEC
Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs.
BBP
Bensylbutylphalate.
BCF
Bio Concentration Factor. Gives a value of the concentration of a substance inside the organism, compared with the surrounding environment (often water).
Bioaccumulating substances
Substances that accumulate in tissue.
Biocide
Biocide is latin and means destroying living organisms.
Biological pesticide
A biological pesticide shall mean a biotechnical organism that is produced specifically to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms, including viruses, from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 6, the Environmental Code).
Biomagnification
Increased concentration of lipophilic environmental toxins in the food chain.
Biosphere
All living organisms.
Biotechnical organism
A biotechnical organism shall mean a product that is produced specifically as a control agent or for any other technical purpose and which, wholly or in part, consists of or contains living microorganisms, including viruses, or nematodes, insects or arachnids. (Chapter 14 kap, Section 3, the Environmental Code).
Biotope
Type of nature conditions, living environment.
BIR
Basic Information Requirement.
BIT
Benzisotiazolinone.
BPA Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A, also 4,4'-dihydroxy-2,2-diphenylpropane and BPA, is one of the world’s most common plastic chemicals. Bisphenol A is an organic compound where two phenol molecules are bound to the same coal in a propane chain.
Brominated flame retardants
Material used to protect against fire in plastic, rubber and textile and which contains the substance bromine.
Brundtland Commission
UN commission led by Gro Harlem Brundtland, who in 1987 presented the report Our common future. The key concepts of the commission were sustainable development, satisfying our present needs without jeopardising the possibilities of future generations to satisfy theirs.
C
CA
Competent authority.
Candidate list
List containing SVHC-substances in accordance with Article 59 in the REACH Regulation. The substances are candidates to be included in Annex XIV of REACH, which means that authorisation will be required to use them.
CAP
Common Agricultural Policy. (EU)
CARACAL
Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP.
Cardiff process
Started in 1997 in order to integrate environmental consideration in sector politics; includes nine sectors at present.
CAREC
Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation.
Cartagena protocol
Protocol on biosafety, adopted in Cartagena in 2000; an appendix to the Convention on Biodiversity.
CASG Nano
Nano Competent Authorities Subgroup on Nanomaterials.
CAS number
Registration number assigned by the Chemical Abstract Services (CAS), Columbus, Ohio.
CE
Conformité Européenne, labelling symbol.
CEFIC
European Chemical Industry Council.
CEN
Comité Européen de Normalisation - European Committee for Standardization.
Certification
Certificate/proof of compliance with certain standards set up for an area by a standardisation body.
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs are used in cooling, heat and other climate facilities, in chemical products and in foam plastic. Banned according to the Montreal protocol.
Chemical/chemical product
Chemical substance and preparations (mixtures) of chemical substances. Chemical substances may be especially regulated products, i.e. pesticides and other products.
Chemical pesticide
A ‘chemical pesticide’ shall mean a chemical product that is intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms, including viruses, from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
Chlorinated paraffins
Chlorinated hydrocarbons, often used as softeners och flame retardants in plastic. Present in short, medium and long chained variants.
Circa
Communication and Information Resource Centre Administrator. An intranet maintained by the European Commission for readily access to documents and participation in interest groups.
CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted in Washington, D.C., in 1973.
CLEEN
Chemical Legislation European Enforcement Network.
CLH
Classification and Labelling Harmonised.
CLP
EU Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures.
CLRTAP
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
CMR
Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, toxic to Reproduction; CMR-substances.
Cocktail effect
Combined effect of a mixture of chemicals that may be greater than the effect of each single substance by itself.
COD
Chemical Oxygen Demand (measure of the amount of oxygen used when there is a complete chemical degradation of organic substances in water).
Cohiba/COHIBA
Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region. (HELCOM)
CoI
Cost of inaction.
COM
European Commission.
Commercial agent
Person or company who acts in the place of a manufacturer or an importer.
Competent authority
Or CA is one or several national authorities appointed by each EU member state to implement the legislation or represent the member country in workgroups and expert groups.
Consent to a commercial agent
The Swedish Chemicals Agency may allow a commercial agent to fulfil the obligation to report import of a chemical product or biotechnical organism to Sweden in the place of the person responsible for the import.
Consolidated version
Compiled version of a regulatory text which include all amendments in their respective place in the basic piece of legislation.
Contained use
Shall mean an activity in which organisms are genetically modified, cultured, stored, used, transported, destroyed, disposed of or used in any other way, and for which specific containment measures are used to limit their contact with the general population and the environment. (Chapter 13, Section 5, the Environmental Code). Can also apply to chemicals at synthesis, for instance.
COP
Conference of the Parties. (UN convention texts).
Copenhagen Chemicals Charter
Document raising expectations facing the overhaul of the EU chemicals policy; signed by 100 organisations in 2000.
CoRAP
Community Rolling Action Plan (action plan for evaluation of chemicals).
Co-RMS
Co-Reporting Member State.
CPR
Construction Products Regulation (EU).
CREAM
Mechanistic effect models for the ecological risk assessment of chemicals (EU network)
CSD
Commission on Sustainable Development (UN).
CSE
India Centre for Science and Environment.
CSTEE
Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (EC).
Customs tariff
Combined nomenclature of the European Union. It allows compiling, exchanging and publishing statistical data about EU trade with countries outside the EU. The tariff is also used to compile and distribute data on trade between the EU member states. (Council Regulation (EEC) No2658/87).
CWG
Abbreviation for Commission Working Group (EC).
D
DBP
Dibutylphthalate.
DCHP
Dicyclohexylphthalate.
DDE
4,4'Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; degradation product of DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroetan.
deca-BDE
Decabromodiphenylether.
DEET
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.
DEHP
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
Deliberate release
‘Deliberate release’ shall mean any intentional introduction of genetically modified organisms into the environment without containment. (Chapter 13, Section 6, the Swedish Environmental Code).
Derivative
Chemical compound that can be derived from or produced from another chemical compound.
Detergent
Washing and cleaning product.
DG SANCO
Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (EU).
DHNUP
Di(branched and straight C7-C11) alkylphthtalates.
DIBP
Diisobutylphthalate.
DIDP
Diisodecylphthalate.
Diffuse spread
Cumulative exposure of a chemical substance in an area where the release sources are of an indefinable character, for example by being many, small, variable, etcetera.
DIHP
Di(branched C6-C8) alkylphthalates.
DINP
Diisononylphthalate.
Distributor
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, including a retailer, who only stores and places on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, for third parties. (REACH)
DNEL
Derived no effect level; a limit value.
Downstream user
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who uses a substance, either on its own or in a mixture, in the course of his industrial or professional activities. A distributor or a consumer is not a downstream user. A re-importer exempted pursuant to Article 2(7)(c) shall be regarded as a downstream user. (REACH)
E
EC/EU
European Communities/European market, European Union.
ECB
European Chemicals Bureau, predecessor of ECHA, with a few remaining tasks.
European Central Bank.
ECCO
European Commission CO-ordination. The EC administration to coordinate the background documentation (dossier), submitted with an application to have a plant protection product included in Annex I to the Plant Protection Directive. The designated reporting country compiles a report (monograph) to be evaluated by an expert group.
ECHA
European Chemicals Agency.
ECLIPS
European Classification and Labelling Inspections of Preparations. Enforcement project within the EU inspection cooperative activities.
EC number
Seven-digit identification number for chemical substances on the EU market. Substances that were on the market before 18 September are not counted as existing substances and start with 200 or 300.
Substances notified/reported after 18 September 1981 are included in the list of new substances (ELINCS) and start with 400. The number series that starts with 500 includes ‘No longer polymers’ (NLP), i.e. substances which at the first listing were considered polymers and thus not required to be listed in EINECS.
ECVAM
European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (to using animals).
EDC/EDS
Endocrine-disrupting chemical/compound/Endocrine-disrupting substance.
EEA
European Environment Agency (Copenhagen).
EEB
European Environmental Bureau. Cooperation body of non-governmental organisations.
EES
European Economic Sphere (EES countries are Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, and the EU member states).
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority.
Ecosystem
A limited community of organisms constituting a part of nature, for example a lake, a land part or a forest area including its flora and fauna.
EINECS
European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances. Inventory of existing, commercially used chemical substances considered to have been on the European market between 1 January 1971 and 18 September 1981.
ELINCS
European List of Notified Chemical Substances (notified after 1981).
EMAS
Eco Management and Audit Scheme. EU’s voluntary environmental management instrument for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance.
Enforcement guidance
Enforcement guidance includes assessment, follow-up and coordination of the operative enforcement, and support and advice to municipalities.
Enzym
Specific type of protein with a catalytic function. Enzymes are part of the chemical processes of the human body without being absorbed themselves.
Ester
Substance formed by acid and alcohol.
ETU
Ethylenethiourea.
EUR-Lex
European Lex. The EU database portal for publishing EU law, particularly legislation and law practice, and the decision processes between the Commission and the institutions.
Exemption
Waiver.
Existing substance
Substance that was used within the EU before 1 September 1981 and listed in EINECS.
Exposure
Extent to which human beings and the environment are in contact with/exposed to hazardous substances.
Exposure scenario
Means the set of conditions, including operational conditions and risk management measures, that describe how the substance is manufactured or used during its life-cycle and how the manufacturer or importer controls, or recommends downstream users to control, exposures of humans and the environment. These exposure scenarios may cover one specific process or use or several processes or uses as appropriate. (REACH)
F
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization.
First-tier supplier
A manufacturer or a party who enters a product into Sweden with the intention to place it on the market.
Flame retardants
See brominated flame retardants.
Full study report
Means a complete and comprehensive description of the activity performed to generate the information. This covers the complete scientific paper as published in the literature describing the study performed or the full report prepared by the test house describing the study performed. (REACH)
Fungicide
Pesticide to combat fungus.
G
GEF
Global Environment Facility.
Generic name
A company may apply to use a descriptive name (generic name) of a component in a product and put that name on the label or a safety data sheet instead of an unambiguous chemical name.
Genetic organism
Biological entity that can breed and transfer genetic material.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling.
GLP
Good Laboratory Practice. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assesment (SWEDAC) is the competent Swedish authority.
GMO
Genetically modified organism; an organism in which the genetic material is changed in a way that is not naturally occurring by mating or by recombination.
Greenbook/green paper
Green papers are documents published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European level. They invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
Groundwater
Water in the soil or in rock.
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
C
CA
Competent authority.
Candidate list
List containing SVHC-substances in accordance with Article 59 in the REACH Regulation. The substances are candidates to be included in Annex XIV of REACH, which means that authorisation will be required to use them.
CAP
Common Agricultural Policy. (EU)
CARACAL
Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP.
Cardiff process
Started in 1997 in order to integrate environmental consideration in sector politics; includes nine sectors at present.
CAREC
Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation.
Cartagena protocol
Protocol on biosafety, adopted in Cartagena in 2000; an appendix to the Convention on Biodiversity.
CASG Nano
Nano Competent Authorities Subgroup on Nanomaterials.
CAS number
Registration number assigned by the Chemical Abstract Services (CAS), Columbus, Ohio.
CE
Conformité Européenne, labelling symbol.
CEFIC
European Chemical Industry Council.
CEN
Comité Européen de Normalisation - European Committee for Standardization.
Certification
Certificate/proof of compliance with certain standards set up for an area by a standardisation body.
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs are used in cooling, heat and other climate facilities, in chemical products and in foam plastic. Banned according to the Montreal protocol.
Chemical/chemical product
Chemical substance and preparations (mixtures) of chemical substances. Chemical substances may be especially regulated products, i.e. pesticides and other products.
Chemical pesticide
A ‘chemical pesticide’ shall mean a chemical product that is intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms, including viruses, from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
Chlorinated paraffins
Chlorinated hydrocarbons, often used as softeners och flame retardants in plastic. Present in short, medium and long chained variants.
Circa
Communication and Information Resource Centre Administrator. An intranet maintained by the European Commission for readily access to documents and participation in interest groups.
CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, adopted in Washington, D.C., in 1973.
CLEEN
Chemical Legislation European Enforcement Network.
CLH
Classification and Labelling Harmonised.
CLP
EU Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures.
CLRTAP
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
CMR
Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, toxic to Reproduction; CMR-substances.
Cocktail effect
Combined effect of a mixture of chemicals that may be greater than the effect of each single substance by itself.
COD
Chemical Oxygen Demand (measure of the amount of oxygen used when there is a complete chemical degradation of organic substances in water).
Cohiba/COHIBA
Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region. (HELCOM)
CoI
Cost of inaction.
COM
European Commission.
Commercial agent
Person or company who acts in the place of a manufacturer or an importer.
Competent authority
Or CA is one or several national authorities appointed by each EU member state to implement the legislation or represent the member country in workgroups and expert groups.
Consent to a commercial agent
The Swedish Chemicals Agency may allow a commercial agent to fulfil the obligation to report import of a chemical product or biotechnical organism to Sweden in the place of the person responsible for the import.
Consolidated version
Compiled version of a regulatory text which include all amendments in their respective place in the basic piece of legislation.
Contained use
Shall mean an activity in which organisms are genetically modified, cultured, stored, used, transported, destroyed, disposed of or used in any other way, and for which specific containment measures are used to limit their contact with the general population and the environment. (Chapter 13, Section 5, the Environmental Code). Can also apply to chemicals at synthesis, for instance.
COP
Conference of the Parties. (UN convention texts).
Copenhagen Chemicals Charter
Document raising expectations facing the overhaul of the EU chemicals policy; signed by 100 organisations in 2000.
CoRAP
Community Rolling Action Plan (action plan for evaluation of chemicals).
Co-RMS
Co-Reporting Member State.
CPR
Construction Products Regulation (EU).
CREAM
Mechanistic effect models for the ecological risk assessment of chemicals (EU network)
CSD
Commission on Sustainable Development (UN).
CSE
India Centre for Science and Environment.
CSTEE
Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (EC).
Customs tariff
Combined nomenclature of the European Union. It allows compiling, exchanging and publishing statistical data about EU trade with countries outside the EU. The tariff is also used to compile and distribute data on trade between the EU member states. (Council Regulation (EEC) No2658/87).
CWG
Abbreviation for Commission Working Group (EC).
D
DBP
Dibutylphthalate.
DCHP
Dicyclohexylphthalate.
DDE
4,4'Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; degradation product of DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroetan.
deca-BDE
Decabromodiphenylether.
DEET
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.
DEHP
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
Deliberate release
‘Deliberate release’ shall mean any intentional introduction of genetically modified organisms into the environment without containment. (Chapter 13, Section 6, the Swedish Environmental Code).
Derivative
Chemical compound that can be derived from or produced from another chemical compound.
Detergent
Washing and cleaning product.
DG SANCO
Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (EU).
DHNUP
Di(branched and straight C7-C11) alkylphthtalates.
DIBP
Diisobutylphthalate.
DIDP
Diisodecylphthalate.
Diffuse spread
Cumulative exposure of a chemical substance in an area where the release sources are of an indefinable character, for example by being many, small, variable, etcetera.
DIHP
Di(branched C6-C8) alkylphthalates.
DINP
Diisononylphthalate.
Distributor
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, including a retailer, who only stores and places on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, for third parties. (REACH)
DNEL
Derived no effect level; a limit value.
Downstream user
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who uses a substance, either on its own or in a mixture, in the course of his industrial or professional activities. A distributor or a consumer is not a downstream user. A re-importer exempted pursuant to Article 2(7)(c) shall be regarded as a downstream user. (REACH)
E
EC/EU
European Communities/European market, European Union.
ECB
European Chemicals Bureau, predecessor of ECHA, with a few remaining tasks.
European Central Bank.
ECCO
European Commission CO-ordination. The EC administration to coordinate the background documentation (dossier), submitted with an application to have a plant protection product included in Annex I to the Plant Protection Directive. The designated reporting country compiles a report (monograph) to be evaluated by an expert group.
ECHA
European Chemicals Agency.
ECLIPS
European Classification and Labelling Inspections of Preparations. Enforcement project within the EU inspection cooperative activities.
EC number
Seven-digit identification number for chemical substances on the EU market. Substances that were on the market before 18 September are not counted as existing substances and start with 200 or 300.
Substances notified/reported after 18 September 1981 are included in the list of new substances (ELINCS) and start with 400. The number series that starts with 500 includes ‘No longer polymers’ (NLP), i.e. substances which at the first listing were considered polymers and thus not required to be listed in EINECS.
ECVAM
European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (to using animals).
EDC/EDS
Endocrine-disrupting chemical/compound/Endocrine-disrupting substance.
EEA
European Environment Agency (Copenhagen).
EEB
European Environmental Bureau. Cooperation body of non-governmental organisations.
EES
European Economic Sphere (EES countries are Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, and the EU member states).
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority.
Ecosystem
A limited community of organisms constituting a part of nature, for example a lake, a land part or a forest area including its flora and fauna.
EINECS
European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances. Inventory of existing, commercially used chemical substances considered to have been on the European market between 1 January 1971 and 18 September 1981.
ELINCS
European List of Notified Chemical Substances (notified after 1981).
EMAS
Eco Management and Audit Scheme. EU’s voluntary environmental management instrument for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance.
Enforcement guidance
Enforcement guidance includes assessment, follow-up and coordination of the operative enforcement, and support and advice to municipalities.
Enzym
Specific type of protein with a catalytic function. Enzymes are part of the chemical processes of the human body without being absorbed themselves.
Ester
Substance formed by acid and alcohol.
ETU
Ethylenethiourea.
EUR-Lex
European Lex. The EU database portal for publishing EU law, particularly legislation and law practice, and the decision processes between the Commission and the institutions.
Exemption
Waiver.
Existing substance
Substance that was used within the EU before 1 September 1981 and listed in EINECS.
Exposure
Extent to which human beings and the environment are in contact with/exposed to hazardous substances.
Exposure scenario
Means the set of conditions, including operational conditions and risk management measures, that describe how the substance is manufactured or used during its life-cycle and how the manufacturer or importer controls, or recommends downstream users to control, exposures of humans and the environment. These exposure scenarios may cover one specific process or use or several processes or uses as appropriate. (REACH)
F
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization.
First-tier supplier
A manufacturer or a party who enters a product into Sweden with the intention to place it on the market.
Flame retardants
See brominated flame retardants.
Full study report
Means a complete and comprehensive description of the activity performed to generate the information. This covers the complete scientific paper as published in the literature describing the study performed or the full report prepared by the test house describing the study performed. (REACH)
Fungicide
Pesticide to combat fungus.
G
GEF
Global Environment Facility.
Generic name
A company may apply to use a descriptive name (generic name) of a component in a product and put that name on the label or a safety data sheet instead of an unambiguous chemical name.
Genetic organism
Biological entity that can breed and transfer genetic material.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling.
GLP
Good Laboratory Practice. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assesment (SWEDAC) is the competent Swedish authority.
GMO
Genetically modified organism; an organism in which the genetic material is changed in a way that is not naturally occurring by mating or by recombination.
Greenbook/green paper
Green papers are documents published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European level. They invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
Groundwater
Water in the soil or in rock.
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
D
DBP
Dibutylphthalate.
DCHP
Dicyclohexylphthalate.
DDE
4,4'Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; degradation product of DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroetan.
deca-BDE
Decabromodiphenylether.
DEET
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide.
DEHP
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
Deliberate release
‘Deliberate release’ shall mean any intentional introduction of genetically modified organisms into the environment without containment. (Chapter 13, Section 6, the Swedish Environmental Code).
Derivative
Chemical compound that can be derived from or produced from another chemical compound.
Detergent
Washing and cleaning product.
DG SANCO
Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (EU).
DHNUP
Di(branched and straight C7-C11) alkylphthtalates.
DIBP
Diisobutylphthalate.
DIDP
Diisodecylphthalate.
Diffuse spread
Cumulative exposure of a chemical substance in an area where the release sources are of an indefinable character, for example by being many, small, variable, etcetera.
DIHP
Di(branched C6-C8) alkylphthalates.
DINP
Diisononylphthalate.
Distributor
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, including a retailer, who only stores and places on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, for third parties. (REACH)
DNEL
Derived no effect level; a limit value.
Downstream user
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who uses a substance, either on its own or in a mixture, in the course of his industrial or professional activities. A distributor or a consumer is not a downstream user. A re-importer exempted pursuant to Article 2(7)(c) shall be regarded as a downstream user. (REACH)
E
EC/EU
European Communities/European market, European Union.
ECB
European Chemicals Bureau, predecessor of ECHA, with a few remaining tasks.
European Central Bank.
ECCO
European Commission CO-ordination. The EC administration to coordinate the background documentation (dossier), submitted with an application to have a plant protection product included in Annex I to the Plant Protection Directive. The designated reporting country compiles a report (monograph) to be evaluated by an expert group.
ECHA
European Chemicals Agency.
ECLIPS
European Classification and Labelling Inspections of Preparations. Enforcement project within the EU inspection cooperative activities.
EC number
Seven-digit identification number for chemical substances on the EU market. Substances that were on the market before 18 September are not counted as existing substances and start with 200 or 300.
Substances notified/reported after 18 September 1981 are included in the list of new substances (ELINCS) and start with 400. The number series that starts with 500 includes ‘No longer polymers’ (NLP), i.e. substances which at the first listing were considered polymers and thus not required to be listed in EINECS.
ECVAM
European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (to using animals).
EDC/EDS
Endocrine-disrupting chemical/compound/Endocrine-disrupting substance.
EEA
European Environment Agency (Copenhagen).
EEB
European Environmental Bureau. Cooperation body of non-governmental organisations.
EES
European Economic Sphere (EES countries are Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, and the EU member states).
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority.
Ecosystem
A limited community of organisms constituting a part of nature, for example a lake, a land part or a forest area including its flora and fauna.
EINECS
European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances. Inventory of existing, commercially used chemical substances considered to have been on the European market between 1 January 1971 and 18 September 1981.
ELINCS
European List of Notified Chemical Substances (notified after 1981).
EMAS
Eco Management and Audit Scheme. EU’s voluntary environmental management instrument for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance.
Enforcement guidance
Enforcement guidance includes assessment, follow-up and coordination of the operative enforcement, and support and advice to municipalities.
Enzym
Specific type of protein with a catalytic function. Enzymes are part of the chemical processes of the human body without being absorbed themselves.
Ester
Substance formed by acid and alcohol.
ETU
Ethylenethiourea.
EUR-Lex
European Lex. The EU database portal for publishing EU law, particularly legislation and law practice, and the decision processes between the Commission and the institutions.
Exemption
Waiver.
Existing substance
Substance that was used within the EU before 1 September 1981 and listed in EINECS.
Exposure
Extent to which human beings and the environment are in contact with/exposed to hazardous substances.
Exposure scenario
Means the set of conditions, including operational conditions and risk management measures, that describe how the substance is manufactured or used during its life-cycle and how the manufacturer or importer controls, or recommends downstream users to control, exposures of humans and the environment. These exposure scenarios may cover one specific process or use or several processes or uses as appropriate. (REACH)
F
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization.
First-tier supplier
A manufacturer or a party who enters a product into Sweden with the intention to place it on the market.
Flame retardants
See brominated flame retardants.
Full study report
Means a complete and comprehensive description of the activity performed to generate the information. This covers the complete scientific paper as published in the literature describing the study performed or the full report prepared by the test house describing the study performed. (REACH)
Fungicide
Pesticide to combat fungus.
G
GEF
Global Environment Facility.
Generic name
A company may apply to use a descriptive name (generic name) of a component in a product and put that name on the label or a safety data sheet instead of an unambiguous chemical name.
Genetic organism
Biological entity that can breed and transfer genetic material.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling.
GLP
Good Laboratory Practice. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assesment (SWEDAC) is the competent Swedish authority.
GMO
Genetically modified organism; an organism in which the genetic material is changed in a way that is not naturally occurring by mating or by recombination.
Greenbook/green paper
Green papers are documents published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European level. They invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
Groundwater
Water in the soil or in rock.
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
F
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization.
First-tier supplier
A manufacturer or a party who enters a product into Sweden with the intention to place it on the market.
Flame retardants
See brominated flame retardants.
Full study report
Means a complete and comprehensive description of the activity performed to generate the information. This covers the complete scientific paper as published in the literature describing the study performed or the full report prepared by the test house describing the study performed. (REACH)
Fungicide
Pesticide to combat fungus.
G
GEF
Global Environment Facility.
Generic name
A company may apply to use a descriptive name (generic name) of a component in a product and put that name on the label or a safety data sheet instead of an unambiguous chemical name.
Genetic organism
Biological entity that can breed and transfer genetic material.
GHS
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling.
GLP
Good Laboratory Practice. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assesment (SWEDAC) is the competent Swedish authority.
GMO
Genetically modified organism; an organism in which the genetic material is changed in a way that is not naturally occurring by mating or by recombination.
Greenbook/green paper
Green papers are documents published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European level. They invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
Groundwater
Water in the soil or in rock.
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
H
Halon
Have been used in fire extinguishers; trade name for brominated halogenated chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs).
Handling
The ‘handling’ of chemical products or biotechnical organisms shall mean any activity or measure involving manufacture, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transport, use, disposal, destruction, processing, sale, transfer and similar procedures. (Chapter 14, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Hazard
An inherent property in a substance that may cause unwanted effects.
Hazard assessment
Identification of hazard and determines the correlation between dose and respons for observed, harmful effects.
Hazard identification
Identification of the harmful effects of a substance due to its inherent properties.
HBCDD
Hexabromocyklododecane.
HCBD
Hexachlorobutadiene
HCWH
Health Care Without Harm.
HELCOM
Helsinki Commission.
Herbicide
Pesticide to combat weed.
HICC
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexen carboxaldehyde.
Highly fluorinated substances
Highly fluorinated substances include both per och poly fluorinated substances.
Hormone disrupting
Substances affecting the hormonal systems and which may cause damage to organisms, populations or ecosystems.
Hygienic limit value
The threshold limit value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Hyperplasia
An increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferation.
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
I
ICCA
International Council of Chemical Associations.
ICCM
International Conference on Chemicals Management. SAICM’s international conference on chemicals management.
Identified use
Means a use of a substance on its own or in a mixture, or a use of a mixture that is intended by an actor in the supply chain, including his own use, or that is made known to him in writing by an immediate downstream user. (REACH)
IFCS
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (established in 1994).
IKEM
Innovation and chemical industries in Sweden.
ILO
International Labour Organization. (UN)
IMO
International Maritime Organization.
IMPEL
EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law.
Import/importer
Used in the Swedish Environmental Code, rules and regulations with the meaning to transfer an article to Sweden from another country outside the EU, so-called third country. This is based on how the Swedish Customs and the tax authorities define import. The Swedish versions of the EU legislation use import and export also for trade between the EU member states.
import: Means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the Community;
importer: means any natural or legal person established within the Community who is responsible for import (REACH).
In vitro
Studies on different systems with isolated organs and cell systems.
INCI
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.
Industry chemical
Chemical product used industrially, i.e. as a raw material or a commodity chemical. The commodity chemical may be repackaged in smaller packagings to become a consumer product, for example acetone in a nail polish remover.
Insecticide
Pesticide to combat insects.
Intermediate
Means a substance that is manufactured for and consumed in or used for chemical processing in order to be transformed into another substance. (REACH)
IPCS
International Program on Chemical Safety (signed in 1980).
IPEN
International POPs Elimination Network.
IPP
Integrated Product Policy. Environmentally oriented product policy directed towards sustainable production and consumption.
IPPC
International Plant Protection Convention.
ISO
International Organization for Standardization.
ITP
International Training Programme.
IUCLID
International Uniform Chemical Information Database. EC database to store and spread information about substances collected according to Regulation (EU) Nr 1907/2006. (REACH)
IUPAC
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Nomenclature to unambiguously determine chemical substances.
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
J
K
KID
Chemicals in retail (a project study).
KIFS
Short for the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s code of statutes, regulations.
Kit
Package containing two parts, for example, a basic compound and a hardener for glue.
L
Labelling obligation
Requirements made in the Swedish Chemical Agency’s Classification and Labelling Regulations (KIFS 2005:7) and in Regulation (EU) No 1272/2008 relating to the release of chemical products on the market. The obligation means that chemical products shall be classified and labelled with regard to the danger to health and the environment.
Lactation
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
LD 50/LC 50
Lethal Dose/Lethal Concentration. Measure of acute toxicity and the dosis at which half of the individuals of a population dies. LC 50 is the measure of acute toxicity in ecotoxicological environments, for example water.
Legal definition
Concept defined in a legal text.
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Estimation of a product’s way from production to destruction (cradle to grave).
LIRA
Legal and Institutional infrastructures and measures for Recovering costs of national Administration (guidelines provided by UNEP to estimate legal and institutional structures and administration costs).
Lissabon strategy
Launched at an EU top summit in 1998. Economic reforms are to promote employment and growth through increased market competition for goods, services and capital.
LOAEL
Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level. The lowest dosis at which toxic effect has been registered.
LPV chemical
Low Production Volume. Chemical released on the EU market in an amount of 10–1,000 tonnes per year and manufacturer or importer.
Low risk biocidal product
Biocidal product which does not contain any other active substances than those listed in Annex IA to the Biocidal Directive and which does not contain any potentially harmful substance (definition according to Section 2 of the Biocidal Products Ordinance (2000:338). A potentially harmful substance is a substance that is not an active substance but which might nevertheless have negative effects on human beings, animals or the environment.
Low-risk active substance (according to the EU Regulation on plant protection products)
Low-risk active substances are substances that will only pose a low risk to human and animal health as well as the environment. Which substances that are classified as low-risk active substances are decided at EU level.
M
Manufacture/manufacturing
Means production or extraction of substances in the natural state. (REACH)
Manufacturer
Means any natural or legal person established within the Community who manufactures a substance within the Community. (REACH)
Mercury
Metallic element.
MIR
Minimum Information Requirement. The smallest amount of information required to serve its purpose.
Mixture
Means a mixture or solution composed of two or more substances. (REACH)
Monomer
Means a substance which is capable of forming covalent bonds with a sequence of additional like or unlike molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer-forming reaction used for the particular process. (REACH)
Montreal Protocol
Signed in 1987 and containing binding agreements to reduce the use and production of CFC (chlorofluoro carbons) and halons. The protocol is regularly updated.
Morphology
Biological term, form and structure of a tissue.
MSA
Environmental sanction charge.
MSC
MSC EU Member State Committee
Mutagen
Substance that harm the genes.
N
Nano
A nanometre is one millionth millimetre or a billionth metre. The word nano comes from Greek and means dwarf.
Not chemically modified substance
Means a substance whose chemical structure remains unchanged, even if it has undergone a chemical process or treatment, or a physical mineralogical transformation, for instance to remove impurities. (REACH)
Notified substance
Means a substance for which a notification has been submitted and which could be placed on the market in accordance with Directive 67/548/EEC. (REACH)
Neurotoxicology
The understanding of how toxins affect the brain and the nervous system.
New substance
Substance used in the EU after September 1981.
NGO (Non-Government Organisation)
For example consumer and environmental organisations.
NMVOC
Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound, mainly released due to livestock farming, also see VOC.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level. The highest dosis at which no toxic effects have been registered.
Non-toxic environment
One of Sweden’s 16 national environmental quality objectives.
O
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
OEWG
Open-Ended Working Group.
Official statistics of Sweden
Much of the statistical data from the Swedish Chemicals Agency is part of Official Statistics of Sweden, and forms the basis for research, joint planning and public information.
OJ
Official Journal. The European Union’s journal (OJ).
Operative enforcement
Direct enforcement of a party carrying out an activity or a measure.
Oral exposure
Exposure via the mouth; food for example.
OSPAR
Oslo-Paris Convention to protect the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic.
Ozone depleting
Substance that might imply harm to the structure or function of the ozone layer of the stratosphere. Often persistent organic substances which react with the ozone and lower it in such a way that the sun’s UV rays in too high an extent reach the surface of the earth.
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Standards Institute.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
P
PAH
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; many of which have harmful effects.
PAN
Pesticide Action Network.
Parallell import
Means that an importer in addition to the manufacturer/ distributor of the right holder imports a protected product, for example a branded product, and sells it on the domestic market without permission from the distributor operating there. An important prerequisite is that the article has to have been placed on the market by the right holder or with the right holder’s consent.
Parallell import is permitted on the EU internal market and is also encouraged by the Commission for competitive reasons to level out prices on the different national markets.
PBDEs
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
PBT
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic. Chemicals with PBT properties are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl.
PCN
Polychlorinated naphthalene.
PCP
Pentachlorophenol was previously used for surface treatment (dipping) and impregnation of wood to protect against rotting and growth of discolouring bruising mushrooms. PCP was banned as an active substance in wood preservatives by the end of the 1970s due to its serious health and environmental properties.
Per year
Means per calendar year, unless stated otherwise, for phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at least three consecutive years, quantities per year shall be calculated on the basis of the average production or import volumes for the three preceding calendar years. (REACH)
Perfluorinated substances
Perfluorinated substances are a group of organic substances characterised by the fact that they are fully fluorinated, i.e. they contain a coal link where each hydrogen atom has been replaced by a fluoro atom. The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Periodic system
Table of elements established in the 1860s when it was concluded that the chemical and physical properties of the elements varied periodically with the atomic weight.
Pesticides
Chemical products and biotechnical organisms, which require an authorisation. A pesticide can either be a biocidal product or a plant protection product.
A pesticide is defined in the Swedish Environmental Code as a chemical or biological product intended to prevent or deter animals, plants or microorganisms from causing damage or detriment to human health or damage to property. (Chapter 14, Section 5, the Environmental Code).
PET
Polyethyleneterepfhtalate.
PFAS
Poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances. A group of persistent chemical substances.
PFBS
Perfluorobutylsulphonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
PFNA
Perfluorononanoic acid.
PFOA
Perfluoroctanoic acid.
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonate. Persistent chemical substance belong to the PFAS group.
Phase-in substance
A substance that satisfies certain criteria. (REACH)
Phthalate
Ester of phthalic acid, often used as a softener in plastic.
PIC
Prior Informed Consent. The Rotterdam Convention (1998) means that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accept the import.
Placing on the market
Making a product available to someone else.
Means supplying or making available, whether in return for payment or free of charge, to a third party. Import shall be deemed to be placing on the market. (REACH)
Plant protection products
Plant protection products are primarily used to protect plants and plant products within agriculture, agriculture and horticulture. Their task is for example to protect plant and parts of plants against attacks of vermin, fungi or competitive plants.
Polyfluorinated substances
Polyfluorinated substances are as much perfluorinated substances, but they are not fully fluorinated. Polyflourinated substances still have hydrogen atoms in the coal chain and are not as stable as perfluorinated substances but can be degraded. Examples of polyfluorinated substances are fluorotelomers and fluoropolymers. These may contain residues of perfluorinated substances and may degrade to perfluorinated substances in the environment. Polyfluorinated substances are often used instead of perfluorinated substances in many applications today.
The concept highly fluorinated substances is sometimes used as a generic term for per and poly fluorinated substances.
Polymer
Means a substance consisting of molecules characterised by the sequence of one or more types of monomer units. Such molecules must be distributed over a range of molecular weights wherein differences in the molecular weight are primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units. A polymer comprises the following:
(a) a simple weight majority of molecules containing at least three monomer units which are covalently bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant;
(b) less than a simple weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
In the context of this definition a ‘monomer unit’ means the reacted form of a monomer substance in a polymer. (REACH)
POP
Persistent Organic Pollutant.
POPs Convention
Also the Stockholm Convention, signed 2001 for the protection of persistent organic pollutants.
Population
A collection of individuals of a species within a certain area.
Potential harmful substance
A substance that is not an active substance but with a property to have a negative effect on human beings, animals or the environment.
PP
Polypropene.
PPP Directive
The EU Plant Protection Products Directive.
PPP principle
Polluter pays principle. Adopted by the OECD and means that the environmental costs of travelling by car, for example, are paid by the motorists through road or carbon dioxide taxes.
Precursor
Denomination of a substance which in a process with other components forms hazardous substances.
Preparation
From the Preparations Directive1999/45/EEC, deliberate preparation or solvent consisting of two or several chemicals (chemical substances).
PRIO
Short for the Priority Guide, name of the web application.
Producer
- a professional manufacturer, importer or vendor of a product
or packaging; or
2. a person whose professional activities generate waste which requires special measures with respect to waste disposal or the environment. (Chapter 15, Section 4, the Environmental Code).
Producer of an article means any natural or legal person who makes or assembles an article within the Community. (REACH)
Product and process orientated research and development
Means any scientific development related to product development or the further development of a substance, on its own, in mixtures or in articles in the course of which pilot plant or production trials are used to develop the production process and/or to test the fields of application of the substance. (REACH)
Product choice principle, substitution principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall
apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product
or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride.
Q
QSAR
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship. Models used to predict the properties of chemicals based on their molecular structures.
QSP
Quick Start Programme.
R
RAC
Risk Assessment Committee (EU).
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. Introduced with the EU white paper on the EU strategy for a future chemicals policy.
Recipient of an article
Means an industrial or professional user, or a distributor, being supplied with an article but does not include consumers. (REACH)
Recipient of a substance or a mixture
Means a downstream user or a distributor being supplied with a substance or a mixture. (REACH)
Registrant
Means the manufacturer or the importer of a substance or the producer or importer of an article submitting a registration for a substance. (REACH)
Reproductive disturbing/toxic to reproduction
Substance that harm the reproductive capacity.
Reference value
Recommended value, for example a short-term limit value or a level limit value.
Restriction
Means any condition for or prohibition of the manufacture, use or placing on the market. (REACH)
Reversed burden of proof
Means that a scientifically based suspicion of the harmful effect of a substance shall be considered until the opposite has been proved.
RIP
REACH Implementation Project.
Risk
The combination of hazard and the probability for it to occur; combination hazard - exposure.
Risk assessment
Process in four steps by which the relationship between the predicted exposure of the harmful effects of a substance is determined: hazard identification, assessment of dose-response relationship, assessment of exposure and risk characterisation. Targeted risk assessment is less comprehensive and a more specific and focused assessment than a complete risk assessment.
Risk characterisation
Estimation of how extensive and serious such harmful effects are that may be assumed to arise in a population of people or a part of the environment as a result of an actual or predicted exposure to a substance.
RMO
Risk Management Option.
RMS
Reporting Member State. (EU)
Robust study summary
Means a detailed summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an independent assessment of the study minimising the need to consult the full study report. (REACH)
RoHS
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoI
Registry of Intention. Registration of the intention to submit documentation on a SVHC substance.
Rotterdam Convention
Signed in1998, meaning that export of hazardous pesticides and chemicals is not permitted unless the receiving country accepts the import.
S
SADC
Southern African Development Community.
Safety Data Sheet, SDS
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet. Information (16 points) to be given for products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
SAICM
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. The global strategy from 2006 is an agreement aiming to follow and push for measures needed to reaching the target that until 2020 at the latest, chemicals are produced and used in such a way that harmful effects on human health and the environment are as limited as possible. (UNEP Governing Council Decision SS.VII/3)
SANCO
SANté et Protection des Consommateurs. (EU)
Scientific research and development
Means any scientific experimentation, analysis or chemical research carried out under controlled conditions in a volume less than one tonne per year. (REACH)
SEAC
Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis of the European Chemicals Agency. (EU)
SENSA
Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.
SERP
Swedish Rapporteur Programme for the evaluation of active substances in plant protection products and biocidal products.
Seveso Directive
Directive from 1996 on measures to prevent and limit the consequences of serious accidents involving hazardous substances.
SIAM
SIDS Initial Assessment Meeting.
SIDS
Screening Information Data Set. Information that is at least required to be able to decide if an existing high production volume chemical requires continued investigation.
SIS
Swedish Institute for Standards.
Site
Means a single location, in which, if there is more than one manufacturer of (a) substance(s), certain infrastructure and facilities are shared. (REACH)
SMC
Sound Management of Chemicals.
SME
Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprise (less than 250 employees).
Means small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (REACH)
SNIF
Summary Notification Information Format (placing GMO on the market).
Spider
Swedish information pesticides database for enquiries and reports.
SPIN
Substances in Preparations in the Nordic countries. Database on chemical substances in products on the Nordic market.
SPORT
Strategic Partnership on Reach Testing.
STAP
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. (UNEP)
STEL
Short-Term Exposure Limit.
Study summary
Means a summary of the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a full study report providing sufficient information to make an assessment of the relevance of the study. (REACH)
Substance
Chemical element and its compounds in natural or prepared form, including additives necessary to product stability and any impurities from the production process, but excluding solvents which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.
Substances which occur in nature
Means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed only by manual, mechanical or gravitational means, by dissolution in water, by flotation, by extraction with water, by steam distillation or by heating solely to remove water, or which is extracted from air by any means. (REACH)
Substitution principle, product choice principle
The product choice principle is defined in Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The principle is also called the product choice principle. Persons who pursue an activity or take a measure, or intend to do so, shall avoid using or selling chemical products or biotechnical organisms that may involve risks to human health or the environment if products or organisms that are assumed to be less dangerous can be used instead. The same requirement shall apply to articles that contain or are treated with a chemical product or a biotechnical organism. The Environmental Code applies to everyone. A consumer is, thus, responsible to find less dangerous alternatives, also non chemical.
Supplier of an article
Means any producer or importer of an article, distributor or other actor in the supply chain placing an article on the market. (REACH)
Supplier of a substance or a mixture
Means any manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor placing on the market a substance, on its own or in a mixture, or a mixture. (REACH)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Out common future, 1987).
SVHC substance
Substances of Very High Concern.
Substances that meet the criteria in Article 57 in the REACH Regulation. These are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction, dangerous for the environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative) or which have other serious properties, for example endocrine disrupting properties.
Synergy/synergism
The combined effect of several substances contained in a chemical product being greater or lesser than the effect of the individual substance.
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
T
TAC
Technical Adaptation Committee. (EU)
TAIEX
EU Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (helps EU candidate countries to implement EU rules into national legislation).
TBT
Tributyl tin.
TDI
Tolerable daily intake. States the amount of a substance (usually in mg/kg bodyweight and day) that a human being is estimated to ingest without negative health effects.
TGD
Technical Guidance Document (for risk assessment of new or existing substances).
TLV-C
Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling indicates the highest value for exposure under (usually) 15 minutes. TLV-C is used for fast-acting substances and which might be harmful already at brief, high exposure.
Third country
All countries that are not members of the EU.
Toy
Product designed as or designated to be a toy. (Toys Directive)
Trivial name
Nomenclature that unambiguously determines chemical substances. See IUPAC.
TSCA
Toxic Substances Control Act. Chemical legislation of the USA from1977.
U
UNCED
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme.
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme.
Use
Means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation. (REACH)
Use and exposure category
Means an exposure scenario covering a wide range of processes or uses, where the processes or uses are communicated, as a minimum, in terms of the brief general description of use. (REACH)
V
VOC
Volatile Organic Compound.
vPvB
Very persistent and very bioaccumulating.
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.
Other sources
W
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC). Directive on wastes consisting of or containing electrical or electronic equipment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is competent authority for issues relating to the WEEE Directive.
WHO
World Health Organization.
White paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for EU action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper is favourably received by the Council of the EU, it can lead to an action programme for the Union in the area concerned.
WPMN
Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD).
WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature.
X
XRF
X-ray fluorescence, X-ray refractiometer.