EU REACH Certification Requirements for Rubber Industrial Raw Materials (2026)

EU REACH Certification serves as the core access threshold for rubber industrial raw materials (including natural rubber, synthetic rubber (BR), cord fabric, and tire steel wire) entering the EU market, covering the entire process of substance registration, hazardous substance restrictions, and compliance declarations. As of January 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has revised relevant clauses multiple times, adding numerous restrictions and testing requirements that directly affect the export of rubber raw materials and downstream products. Mastering its basic requirements is crucial for enterprises to operate in compliance.

Core Regulatory Framework: Registration, Evaluation and Restriction System

REACH Regulation (EC 1907/2006) focuses on the full-process management of registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction for chemicals and their products on the EU market. Rubber industrial raw materials must comply with the following basic rules: Single substances with an annual export volume of ≥1 ton (such as synthetic rubber (BR) and tire steel wire raw materials) must complete registration and submit an IUCLID6 format dossier in line with ECHA standards, including test data, risk assessment, and compliance statements; if the content of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) exceeds 0.1%, notification to ECHA and filing in the SCIP database are required.

The SVHC list is dynamically updated, with over 250 items as of 2025. Substances such as phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are often found in rubber additives, as well as in surface treatment agents for cord fabric, rubber, and tire steel wire. Enterprises must regularly check list updates to ensure raw materials meet the latest limit requirements.

Key Hazardous Substance Limits and Testing Requirements

Classified Control of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), as carcinogens frequently detected in rubber industrial raw materials, are strictly regulated under REACH Annex XVII. Current standards specify that the total content of 8 PAHs in rubber extender oil for tires shall be ≤10mg/kg, and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) ≤1mg/kg; the content of any single PAH in rubber components in direct contact with skin or oral cavity shall be ≤1mg/kg. In 2026, the EU plans to expand the scope of controlled substances to 25 PAHs, including new compounds such as methylnaphthalene, and tighten the total limit to 1.0mg/kg. The new regulation is expected to take effect 24 months after its publication in the Official Journal, directly affecting the export compliance of cord fabric and rubber products.

Restrictions on Plasticizer and Vulcanizing Agent Residues

Regarding plasticizers, phthalates such as DEHP, DBP, and BBP are strictly regulated in rubber raw materials and cord fabric adhesive additives, with a content limit of ≤0.1% in all rubber products. They are completely prohibited in children's products and food-contact rubber products. Enterprises can use environmentally friendly alternatives such as DINCH and TOTM to balance performance and compliance for synthetic rubber (BR) and cord fabric.

Vulcanizing agent residues (such as MBT and MBTS) must comply with safety limits. Rubber raw materials used in high-temperature environments must also pass a 240-hour aging test at 70℃ to verify the stability of substance release and prevent exceeding limits during use.

Control of Heavy Metals and Other Substances

Heavy metal restrictions apply to all types of rubber industrial raw materials: the lead content in tire steel wire shall be ≤0.1%, cadmium ≤0.01%, while mercury and hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) are also restricted. In addition, the revised REACH Annex XVII, effective in June 2025, added two restricted substances: dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and N-ethylpyrrolidone (NEP). A content of ≥0.3% will trigger restrictions, and enterprises must verify their supply chains for these substances in rubber and cord fabric production.

Additional Compliance Requirements for Special Scenarios

Food-contact rubber raw materials must additionally comply with Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and pass migration tests; automotive rubber raw materials and cord fabric need to submit IMDS data and pass PAH, hexavalent chromium tests, as well as oil and high-temperature resistance tests (e.g., VDA 675 106); those containing electrical and electronic components must simultaneously comply with the RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU).

Compliance Responses and Industry Impact

The compliance testing process consists of three steps: Pre-screening (3 days) to eliminate 80% of risks for rubber and tire steel wire via FTIR spectroscopy and XRF heavy metal screening; Targeted testing (7 days) with HPLC-MS/MS quantification, achieving a detection limit of 0.01ppm; Data compliance (4 days) to generate IUCLID6 dossiers, with a total cycle reducible to 2 weeks. Enterprises can reduce compliance costs by over 30% by establishing shared testing databases with upstream suppliers and selecting compliant alternatives, ensuring the smooth export of cord fabric and rubber products.

The tightening of EU REACH certification is driving the transformation of the rubber industrial raw materials industry towards green and low-carbon development. According to data from the European Rubber Manufacturers Association, approximately 15% of existing rubber and cord fabric formulations may not meet the new PAH restrictions and need to be redesigned. Enterprises should set up dedicated compliance positions, regularly track ECHA regulation updates, and convert compliance into a competitive advantage for products such as synthetic rubber (BR) and cord fabric through formula optimization and supply chain traceability management.

Do you have any questions about REACH compliance for rubber industrial raw materials, cord fabric, and other products? Or would you like to share enterprise compliance experiences? Welcome to click Leave a Message to discuss industry compliance solutions together.