REACH Annex XVII, entry 19: Arsenic compounds
Entry 19 covers: Arsenic compounds. First condition: "1. Shall not be placed on the market, or used, as substances or in mixtures where the substance or mixture is intended for use to prevent the fouling by micro-organisms, plants or animals of: - the hulls of boats,"
- Annex
- XVII: Restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles
- Entry number
- 19
- Version
- Consolidated version of 22 June 2026
- Official source
- Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH), consolidated text
Designation of the substance, of the group of substances or of the mixture (official wording)
Arsenic compounds
Conditions of restriction (official wording)
1. Shall not be placed on the market, or used, as substances or in mixtures where the substance or mixture is intended for use to prevent the fouling by micro-organisms, plants or animals of:
- the hulls of boats,
- cages, floats, nets and any other appliances or equipment used for fish or shellfish farming,
- any totally or partly submerged appliances or equipment.
2. Shall not be placed on the market, or used, as substances or in mixtures where the substance or mixture is intended for use in the treatment of industrial waters, irrespective of their use.
3. Shall not be used in the preservation of wood. Furthermore, wood so treated shall not be placed on the market.
4. By way of derogation from paragraph 3:
(a) Relating to the substances and mixtures for the preservation of wood: these may only be used in industrial installations using vacuum or pressure to impregnate wood if they are solutions of inorganic compounds of the copper, chromium, arsenic (CCA) type C and if they are authorised in accordance with Article 5(1) of Directive 98/8/EC. Wood so treated shall not be placed on the market before fixation of the preservative is completed.
(b) Wood treated with CCA solution in accordance with point (a) may be placed on the market for professional and industrial use provided that the structural integrity of the wood is required for human or livestock safety and skin contact by the general public during its service life is unlikely:
- as structural timber in public and agricultural buildings, office buildings, and industrial premises,
- in bridges and bridgework,
- as constructional timber in freshwater areas and brackish waters, for example jetties and bridges,
- as noise barriers,
- in avalanche control,
- in highway safety fencing and barriers,
- as debarked round conifer livestock fence posts,
- in earth retaining structures,
- as electric power transmission and telecommunications poles,
- as underground railway sleepers.
(c) Without prejudice to the application of other Community provisions on the classification, packaging and labelling of substances and mixtures, suppliers shall ensure before the placing on the market that all treated wood placed on the market is individually labelled ‘For professional and industrial installation and use only, contains arsenic’. In addition, all wood placed on the market in packs shall also bear a label stating ‘Wear gloves when handling this wood. Wear a dust mask and eye protection when cutting or otherwise crafting this wood. Waste from this wood shall be treated as hazardous by an authorised undertaking’.
(d) Treated wood referred to under point (a) shall not be used:
- in residential or domestic constructions, whatever the purpose,
- in any application where there is a risk of repeated skin contact,
- in marine waters,
- for agricultural purposes other than for livestock fence posts and structural uses in accordance with point (b),
- in any application where the treated wood may come into contact with intermediate or finished products intended for human and/or animal consumption.
5. Wood treated with arsenic compounds that was in use in the Community before 30 September 2007, or that was placed on the market in accordance with paragraph 4 may remain in place and continue to be used until it reaches the end of its service life.
6. Wood treated with CCA type C that was in use in the Community before 30 September 2007, or that was placed on the market in accordance with paragraph 4:
- may be used or reused subject to the conditions pertaining to its use listed under points 4(b), (c) and (d),
- may be placed on the market subject to the conditions pertaining to its use listed under points 4(b), (c) and (d).
7. Member States may allow wood treated with other types of CCA solutions that was in use in the Community before 30 September 2007:
- to be used or reused subject to the conditions pertaining to its use listed under points 4 (b), (c) and (d),
- to be placed on the market subject to the conditions pertaining to its use listed under points 4(b), (c) and (d).
Introductory text of Annex XVII
For substances which have been incorporated in this Annex as a consequence of restrictions adopted in the framework of Directive 76/769/EEC (Entries 1 to 58), the restrictions shall not apply to storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, or transfer from one container to another of these substances for export, unless the manufacture of the substances is prohibited.
Neighbouring entries
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