ConceptsDefined term

Concentration Limit

Note: general educational information, not legal advice. Check the official source before relying on it.

The level above which a substance must be reported or is restricted, most often 0.1 percent by weight in articles.

Updated
2026-06-14

Definition#

A concentration limit is the level above which a substance must be reported or is restricted. The most common limit in articles is 0.1 percent by weight, which triggers REACH Article 33 and SCIP.

REACH (SVHC in articles)

0.1 percent by weight, measured against the whole article. Above it, SVHC information duties and a SCIP notification apply.

RoHS

0.1 percent per homogeneous material for most restricted substances, and 0.01 percent for cadmium.

The catch is the reference base. RoHS measures against a single homogeneous material, while REACH measures against the whole article, so the same percentage can mean very different real quantities. Always check which base a given rule uses before comparing numbers.

Units#

Concentration limits are expressed as a mass fraction, how much of the substance there is by weight. The two common units are percent by weight (% w/w, also called mass percent or weight percent) and parts per million (ppm). They convert directly: 0.1% w/w = 1000 ppm. So the familiar 0.1 percent SVHC threshold is the same as 1000 ppm, and the 0.01 percent RoHS limit for cadmium is 100 ppm.

Try it: the SVHC threshold#

Enter the mass of an SVHC and the mass of the article that contains it to see whether it crosses the 0.1 percent REACH threshold. Note the reference base — this measures against the whole article, not a homogeneous material.

Use any unit (mg, g…) as long as both fields use the same one.

Enter both masses to see the concentration.

Die 0,1-%-Schwelle für SVHC gilt je Erzeugnis (Gewichtsanteil). Über der Schwelle entstehen Informationspflichten in der Lieferkette und eine SCIP-Meldung an die ECHA. Achtung: Die RoHS-0,1-%-Schwelle bezieht sich dagegen auf den homogenen Werkstoff — nicht verwechseln.

REACH-Verordnung (EG) 1907/2006, Art. 7 & 33
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Concentration LimitConcentration LimitRoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances (Directive 2011/65/EU)RoHSSVHC: Substance of Very High ConcernSVHCSCIP: Database for Substances of Concern In articles (Products)SCIPHomogeneous MaterialHomogeneous MaterialREACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of ChemicalsREACHArticle (REACH)ArticleIEC 62474: Material Declaration for the Electrotechnical IndustryIEC 62474SVHC Candidate List: Selected ExamplesCandidate ListECHA: European Chemicals AgencyECHAKey Annexes: REACH, RoHS, CLP & POPAnnexesGADSL: Global Automotive Declarable Substance ListGADSLDeclarable Substance: Obligation vs. InterestDeclarable Substance
reachrohsthresholds