Chemische Stoffe Informationserteilung

You can find out whether everyday products contain certain chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment.

As a consumer, you can ask the retailer, manufacturer or importer whether products contain substances of very high concern. They are legally obliged to provide information as soon as the concentration of the respective substance in the product exceeds 0.1 percent.

Substances of very high concern are chemicals that have certain negative properties for human health or the environment and this has been determined in a formal process at the responsible European Chemicals Agency. The substances of very high concern are listed in the so-called candidate list. You can view this online.

The obligation to provide information applies to most items, for example from the following areas

• Household goods,
• textiles,
• footwear,
• sporting goods,
• furniture,
• DIY supplies,
• electrical/electronic appliances,
• toys,
• vehicles or
• packaging.

It does not apply to areas that are subject to special regulations. These include, for example

• Medical devices,
• medicinal products,
• foodstuffs,
• cosmetics,
• detergents and cleaning agents,
• animal feed,
• plant protection products,
• biocides and
• liquid or powdered products such as paints or varnishes.

The legal basis is the REACH Regulation of 2007, which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals.

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You can either use the sample letter or the Federal Environment Agency's "Scan4Chem" app to submit an inquiry about chemicals in everyday objects.

Inquiry with sample letter:

• Download the sample letter from the Federal Environment Agency's website as a Word file.
• Enter the date, your address (as the sender) and the manufacturer's address.
• Replace "XXXX" with the exact name of the product. For reliable identification, you can also add the number under the barcode of the product
• You can print out the sample letter and submit it to your retailer or supplier.

Request with the "Scan4Chem" app:

• Scan the barcode of the product with your smartphone or tablet. A request is automatically created to the responsible manufacturer or importer, which you can send with a click.

Online form:

• An online form is expected to be available on the Federal Environment Agency's website in spring 2019.
• There you will be able to enter the number under the barcode of the product. The tool will then automatically create a request that you can send with a click.

You should receive a response 45 days after receipt of the request.

If not, you can inform the responsible monitoring authorities of the federal states.

maximum 45 days

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• Chemical substances in everyday objects Information
• Consumers can request information
• Information only on "substances of very high concern"
• Substances of very high concern listed in the "candidate list", available online
• Applies to most items, e.g. household goods, clothing, toys
• Information obligation for retailers, manufacturers and importers only if they contain a substance of very high concern
• Information must be provided after 45 days
• Fines for violation of the obligation to provide information
• Based on the REACH Regulation of 2007, aim: to protect human health and the environment
• Responsible: Federal Agency for Chemicals (BfC) of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Federal Environment Agency, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

Federal Environment Agency
P.O. Box 1406
06813 Dessau-Roßlau

E-Mail: buergerservice(at)uba.de

Phone: 0340 2103-0

Federal Environment Agency
Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau

Phone: 0 340 2103-2416
Fax: 0 340 2103-2285

E-mail: buergerservice(at)uba.de
Internet: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de

• Forms: no, but sample letter from the Federal Environment Agency
• Online procedure possible: yes
  • Free Scan4Chem app from the Federal Environment Agency
  • Online form expected to be available in 2019
• Written form required: no
• Personal appearance required: no