Read-across
“Grouping and read-across” has extensively been used by the sector as an alternative to animal testing to fulfil hazard information requirements in metal and metal compounds (i.e. metal substances) registrations under REACH (2010, 2013, and 2018).
Read-across involves the “use of relevant information from analogous substance(s) (the ‘source’1 information) to predict properties for the ‘target’ substance(s) under consideration.” The conditions under which ‘read-across and grouping’ can be used to adapt the standard testing regime are listed in Annex XI to the REACH Regulation.
In view of the widespread use of read-across in the REACH registrations and its potential impacts on the quality of the REACH data, ECHA has developed several guidance documents and a framework (the Read-Across Assessment Framework or RAAF (link) to ensure that the approaches used by the registrants fall within the conditions for using grouping and read-across approaches set out in REACH.
Read-across for metals has been discussed in several forums/guidance documents:
- Read-across workshop (report)
- Discussions on read-across of metals within MISA
· https://www.reach-metals.eu/misa-blog/documents/industry-guide-note-on-bioelution-for-grouping
· https://www.reach-metals.eu/misa-blog/documents/counterion-files-hh
· https://www.reach-metals.eu/misa-blog/documents/counterion-env
- OECD Guidance on the grouping of chemicals 2025, section metals and inorganic UVCBs (to be published in October 2025)
Last page update: 17 October 2025