SVHC Monitoring
What the ECHA SVHC Candidate List means for brass, the 0.1% Article 33 threshold, and how we track every update.
At a glance
What is the SVHC Candidate List?
The SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) Candidate List is published and maintained by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under the REACH Regulation. It identifies substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR); persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT or vPvB); or of equivalent concern. As of early 2026 it contains over 250 substances, and ECHA typically updates it twice a year.
Being on the Candidate List does not ban a substance — it triggers information duties. Under REACH Article 33, if any listed SVHC is present above 0.1% by weight in an article, the supplier must communicate this to recipients (and, on request, to consumers) so they can use the article safely.
Lead on the SVHC list
Lead and lead compounds are SVHCs — metallic lead was added to the Candidate List in June 2018. Standard free-machining brasses CW617N (~3% Pb) and CW602N (~2% Pb) both contain lead above the 0.1% threshold, so parts made from them ship with a REACH Article 33 declaration. Lead-free grades fall below the threshold and need no SVHC notification.
SVHC status by material
| Material | Lead content | Article 33 (SVHC) |
|---|---|---|
| CW617N — CuZn40Pb2 | ~3% Pb | Required (>0.1%) |
| CW602N — CuZn36Pb2As (DZR) | ~2% Pb | Required (>0.1%) |
| CW724R — silicon brass | <0.1% Pb | Below threshold |
| C11000 — ETP copper | None | Not required |
How we keep your declarations current
The ECHA Candidate List is published roughly in January and June each year. We don't wait for it to affect you to find out — our process tracks every update so the declarations we issue always reflect the current list.
Every ECHA update
We review each new Candidate List within 30 days of publication.
Against your grades
We reassess the alloys we supply you against the updated list.
Within 45 days
If a change affects a supplied product, we issue updated Article 33 declarations.
Common questions
Which SVHC is present in brass?
What is the SVHC threshold for notification?
How does Brassland monitor SVHCs?
Do lead-free grades require an SVHC notification?
Verify against the primary source
The regulatory data summarised on this page is cross-referenced against the publishers below. Always confirm requirements against the current published text before relying on this summary.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · maintained by the Brassland compliance team. The ECHA Candidate List is updated periodically; only the list published by ECHA is authoritative — verify the current entries at the source. General guidance, not legal advice.
Need an SVHC declaration?
REACH Article 33 / SVHC declarations and material data — typically available the same business day.