Coal Tar Pitch & Anthracene Oil producers prepare for REACH authorisation beyond 2020

Coal Tar Pitch (CTPHT) and Anthracene Oil (AO) are now subject to REACH authorisation, which means that from September 2020 (so-called sunset date) onward, users and suppliers of the substances will need an authorisation to keep using them. The European CTPHT and AO producers have mandated Risk & Policy Analysts Ltd., an independent consultancy, to prepare applications for identified uses requiring authorisation.

CTPHT and AO are both by-products of the production of coke and coal gas from coal and are used in many sectors including the aluminium-, iron and steel-, carbon/graphite-, ferro-alloy- or refractory manufacturing industries and by ceramic bricks and sliding gates manufacturers. Applications for Authorisation need to be submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by the end of February 2019 in preparation of the sunset date. Therefore, CTPHT and AO users must check as soon as possible if their use require an authorisation or if they qualify for an exemption.

Meanwhile, CTPHT and AO, which exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer, will be progressively replaced by less dangerous substances where technically and economically feasible alternatives are available. CTPHT and AO were identified as Persistent, (very) Bioaccumulative and/or Toxic chemicals.