The European Commission has proposed repealing the mandatory use of the SCIP database for reporting substances of very high concern (SVHCs) under the Waste Framework Directive. Aimed at simplifying compliance and cutting administrative costs, this move could save businesses an estimated €225 million annually. Professionals across the chemicals, waste, and manufacturing value chains should assess how the proposed change will affect their reporting systems and regulatory obligations.
The Substances of Concern In articles as such or in complex objects (products) database — SCIP — was introduced in 2021. It required companies producing, importing, or distributing articles containing SVHCs above 0.1% weight-by-weight to submit detailed notifications to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Its stated aim was to support waste operators and recyclers in managing hazardous substances more safely. However, the database has faced criticism over limited practical use, especially for business-to-business (B2B) transactions and space industry applications, as well as for duplicating obligations already set under REACH Article 33(1).
Stakeholder feedback highlighted several issues:
Furthermore, the SCIP database was added to the Waste Framework Directive through a legislative amendment, without prior impact assessment.
The Commission argues that upcoming regulatory tools — particularly the digital product passport under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Common Data Platform on Chemicals under the One Substance, One Assessment initiative — will provide better and more accessible chemical information by 2030.
Industry estimates suggest:
Larger firms experience some economies of scale, while smaller firms face disproportionately high upfront IT and compliance costs ranging from €1,000 to €250,000.
Abolishing the SCIP obligation could reduce administrative burden by €225 million per year, with additional cost savings for ECHA, which currently bears millions in annual maintenance costs.
Despite the repeal, chemical safety goals will remain intact:
These parallel efforts should maintain transparency for recyclers, consumers, and authorities.
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