What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)?

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemical substances that resist natural breakdown, remain in the environment for long periods, and build up in living organisms. Examples include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT, and dioxins. POPs can travel long distances through air and water, affecting ecosystems and human health worldwide.

What is the EU POPs Regulation (EU 2019/1021)?

The EU POPs Regulation, also known as Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, is the European Union’s legal framework for controlling persistent organic pollutants. It enforces the Stockholm Convention by restricting or banning POPs production, use, and disposal to prevent environmental contamination.

Which industries are most affected by POPs legislation?

Industries such as electronics, automotive, textiles, and construction are most affected by persistent organic pollutant (POP) regulations. These sectors often use materials containing POPs, such as flame retardants, lubricants, or plasticizers, and must comply with EU POPs restrictions to continue selling products in the European Union.

How can companies ensure compliance with the EU POPs Regulation?

To comply with the EU POPs Regulation, companies should collect full material disclosures (FMDs) from suppliers, perform chemical screening to detect POPs, and use Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Compliance software. Ongoing monitoring of new POPs listings under the Stockholm Convention helps maintain compliance as regulations evolve.

What is the EU Waste Framework Directive and why does the SCIP database matter for manufacturers?

The EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD) is a cornerstone of the European Union’s circular economy strategy, requiring manufacturers to design products for durability, reuse, and waste reduction. A key update in 2018 introduced the SCIP database, the Substances of Concern In articles as such or in complex objects (Products) database, managed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Manufacturers, importers, and assemblers must report products containing Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) above 0.1% weight-by-weight (w/w) to the SCIP database. This improves supply chain transparency and supports safe recycling and waste handling.

Who must submit data to the SCIP database under the Waste Framework Directive?

Any company that manufactures, assembles, imports, or distributes products in the EU market containing SVHCs above 0.1% (w/w) must make a SCIP submission.EU-based companies, including first importers have direct legal responsibility.Non-EU suppliers must provide data to their EU partners to maintain market access.The only exception is retailers selling directly and exclusively to end consumers. To determine if you’re in scope, review your supply chain data against the REACH Candidate List, which is updated about every six months.

How does SCIP reporting differ from REACH compliance?

While both REACH and SCIP address hazardous substances, SCIP goes deeper.REACH focuses on the registration and restriction of chemicals.SCIP requires a granular declaration of SVHCs at the article level, including details like material category, safe use information, and concentration ranges. In short, REACH manages chemicals, while SCIP manages transparency, ensuring every product component containing an SVHC can be identified and safely handled at the end of its life cycle.

How can manufacturers efficiently meet SCIP database requirements?

Compliance begins with accurate data collection and supplier collaboration. Manufacturers should:Map all products and identify SVHCs.Collect detailed article- and material-level data following ECHA’s IUCLID format.Use a compliance management solution to automate submissions and maintain accuracy.Solutions like Assent’s SCIP compliance software centralize supplier data, track REACH Candidate List updates, and simplify dossier submissions, helping companies shift from reactive compliance to proactive risk management.

Why is compliance management becoming a strategic advantage for suppliers?

As global regulations evolve toward product sustainability across the entire product life cycle, customers want partners who deliver on transparency as well as compliance.When customers ask for compliance information, they are also evaluating your reliability as a business partner. Suppliers who respond quickly and accurately demonstrate professionalism and build long-term trust. A mature compliance process shows that you are prepared for future regulations and larger opportunities. Instead of seeing compliance as a box to check, think of it as part of your reputation. It proves that you operate responsibly and transparently. With the right tools and consistent processes, even a small supplier can stand out as a trusted and preferred partner in the supply chain.

Why is compliance management becoming harder for suppliers to handle manually?

Regulations are expanding in scope and complexity, covering areas like chemical use, labor practices, and sustainability. Many suppliers still manage compliance data with spreadsheets or through email, which can work for a few customers but quickly becomes unmanageable as requirements increase. Manual methods make it easy to miss updates, lose important documentation, or duplicate work across customer requests. As larger manufacturers strengthen their oversight, suppliers who cannot deliver complete and consistent data face delays, additional audits, or even lost contracts.

What are compliance management data best practices for suppliers?

You do not need a large compliance department to manage growing data demands effectively. Strong compliance management begins with visibility: Knowing what materials you use, which regulations apply, and how to share that information confidently with your customers. With Assent’s sustainability platform, you can manage and automate all your compliance data requests in one place. Instead of juggling multiple spreadsheets and emails, our network-driven system connects you to the same platform used by leading manufacturers. That means you can share accurate, complete information across multiple customers at once, cutting down on repetitive work and response time. Assent’s AI-driven tools also help you identify missing data, flag potential risks, and prepare for future requests more easily.

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Medical Devices

Revolutionize Your Medical Device Compliance with Assent’s AI Software

The medical device industry faces intense scrutiny, so its product compliance and responsible sourcing programs must be defensible and transparent.

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Overview

Supply Chain Sustainability for Medical Device Manufacturers

The medical device industry deals with complex global supply chains and stringent safety regulations, demanding a proactive approach to product compliance and sustainability. Assent’s platform is purpose-built to help manufacturers navigate these challenges, ensuring safety, transparency, and compliance.

Challenges

Complex Supply Chains
Regulatory Compliance
Data Management
Risk of Disruptions

Solutions

Comprehensive Compliance Tracking
End-to-End Supply Chain Transparency
Data Centralization
Proactive Risk Mitigation

Platform Benefits

Powerful AI for Compliance, Sustainability, and Expertise

Demonstrate Compliance to Regulators

Become More Strategic

Protect Supply Chain Continuity

See Risks Before They Cause Harm

Demonstrate Compliance to Regulators

Become More Strategic

Protect Supply Chain Continuity

See Risks Before They Cause Harm

Demonstrate Compliance to Regulators

Reliable, defensible due diligence that goes deep into your supply chain protects against litigation and damage to your reputation.

Become More Strategic

Mitigate risk and save money by adapting to regulatory changes before they impact your supply chain.

Protect Supply Chain Continuity

Ensure full supply chain transparency to better protect against disruptions caused by substance restrictions, supply shortages, and other unforeseen circumstances.

See Risks Before They Cause Harm

Identify high-risk suppliers and prioritize them for deeper screening or training to get ahead of risks before they damage your brand.

Access to Validated Data

The Assent Sustainability Platform provides the largest network of supplier and parts data, helping you secure contracts with major companies and governments.

Advanced Data Management

Easily access supplier and parts information across your supply chain for smarter decision making.

Detailed Reporting

Assent’s AI-native features include detailed dashboards and reports to identify supply chain risks and opportunities.

Automated Communication

Stay connected with suppliers, even hard-to-reach ones, and quickly respond to customer requests with automated updates.

Medical Supply Chain Sustainability Solutions

Supply Chain Forced Labor Insights

Read more about Assent’s platform capabilities and see how you can create cross-enterprise transparency into forced labor risks deep in your supply chain.

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Streamline RoHS Compliance

Learn more about how the Assent Sustainability Platform makes it easy to rapidly collect RoHS compliance declarations across your supply chain and with customers.

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Supply Chain Sustainability

Easily collect the data you need to report on supply chain due diligence and sustainability across your global supply chain.

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Grow Smarter With Assent’s Supply Chain Sustainability Solutions

See why our supply chain sustainability platform is the number one choice for the world’s most sustainable medical device manufacturers looking to simplify Medical Devices compliance.

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Revolutionize Your Medical Device Compliance with Assent’s AI Software