On December 19, 2011, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) officially announced the addition of 20 substances to its Candidate List, bringing the total number of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) under regulation to 73. Among them, 4-tert-octylphenol is the first substance to be included on the SVHC list due to its potential for significant endocrine disruption. The remaining substances are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and toxic to reproductive organs (CMRs), posing serious risks to human health and the environment. Furthermore, ECHA stipulates that manufacturers and importers of finished products must notify the manufacturer or importer by June 19, 2012, if both of the following conditions are met: (i) the total amount of SVHCs in the finished product exceeds one tonne per year; and (ii) the concentration of SVHCs in the product is 0.1% (w/w) or higher. If the SVHC has been registered or exposure can be ruled out, notification is not required. 20 New Candidate Substances of Very High Concern: Substance Name CAS No. EC No. Potential Applications p-tert-Octylphenol/Octylphenol 140-66-9 205-426-2 Rubber/coatings, adhesives, plastics/rubber, textiles o-Methyox