On April 2, 2025, the European Union published in its Official Journal the amendment to Regulation (EU) 2025/660, Annex XVII (Restrictions), to the REACH Regulation. This amendment adds a new entry 50a regarding the restriction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in clay targets. This entry will take effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, with a one-year grace period.
Substance Information
| serial number |
Chinese Name |
English Name |
CAS Number |
EC number |
| 1 | 苊 | Acenaphthene | 83-32-9 | 201-469-6 |
| 2 | 苊烯 | Acenaphthylene | 208-96-8 | 205-917-1 |
| 3 | 蒽 | Anthracene | 120-12-7 | 204-371-1 |
| 4 | 苯並[a]蒽 | Benzo[a]anthracene | 56-55-3 | 200-280-6 |
| 5 | 苯並[a]芘(苯並[def]䓛) | Benzo[a]pyrene (Benzo[def]chrysene) | 50-32-8 | 200-028-5 |
| 6 | 苯並[b]熒蒽(苯並[e]乙醯菲) | Benzo[b]fluoranthene (Benzol[e]acephenanthrylene) | 205-99-2 | 205-911-9 |
| 7 | 苯並[e]芘 | Benzo[e]pyrene | 192-97-2 | 205-892-7 |
| 8 | 苯並[ghi]苝 | Benzo[ghi]perylene | 191-24-2 | 205-883-8 |
| 9 | 苯並[j]熒蒽 | Benzo[j]fluoranthene | 205-82-3 | 205-910-3 |
| 10 | 苯並[k]熒蒽 | Benzo[k]fluoranthene | 207-08-9 | 205-916-6 |
| 11 | 䓛 | Chrysene | 218-01-9 | 205-923-4 |
| 12 | 二苯並[a,h]蒽 | Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene | 53-70-3 | 200-181-8 |
| 13 | 熒蒽 | Fluoranthene | 206-44-0 | 205-912-4 |
| 14 | 芴 | Fluorene | 86-73-7 | 201-695-5 |
| 15 | 茚並[1,2,3-cd]芘 | Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene | 193-39-5 | 205-893-2 |
| 16 | 萘 | Naphthalene | 91-20-3 | 202-049-5 |
| 17 | 菲 | Phenanthrene | 85-01-8 | 201-581-5 |
| 18 | 芘 | Pyrene | 129-00-0 | 204-927-3 |
Restriction requirements
From April 22, 2026, the above-mentioned PAHs, whether used alone or as components of other substances, shall not be placed on the market or used for shooting purposes as long as their total content in clay targets exceeds 50 mg/kg (0.005% of the dry weight of the clay targets).
Regulatory Background
Many PAHs are classified as hazardous substances due to their carcinogenic, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) properties, and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties. REACH Annex XVII, Entry 50, has already restricted several PAHs in filler oils, tires or tire parts, plastic or rubber parts intended for long-term or short-term repeated direct contact with human skin or oral cavity, and infill particles or coverings used in artificial turf fields, playgrounds, or sports applications.
Clay targets are disc-shaped flying targets used by sport shooters and small game hunters for practice. They are typically manufactured using binders such as coal tar pitch, high-temperature coal tar pitch (CTPHT), petroleum asphalt, or other types of resins. Therefore, PAHs are often present in clay target products. It is estimated that at least 270 tons of PAHs are released into the environment annually during the production and use of clay targets in the EU.
"Continued use of clay targets containing PAHs will lead to increasing environmental loads, resulting in further environmental and human exposure. The implementation of this restriction is expected to reduce the identified risks by 99% and significantly reduce PAH pollution in the environment."
Reference Link: [Standardized website]
