The European SSbD framework brings chemical safety and environmental assessment into the earliest stages of research and development.
— News
The European Commission has published EU Recommendation 2026/510 of 6 March 2026, introducing the revised European framework for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) chemicals and materials. Published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 10 March 2026, the Recommendation updates the original Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework established under Recommendation (EU) 2022/2510.
Why the European Commission updated the SSbD framework
The SSbD framework was created to guide research, development and innovation towards chemicals and materials that are assessed from the very earliest stages of design. The new Recommendation promotes a common European reference methodology to support technical decision-making, research activities and the development of safer alternatives.
In practical terms, the EU encourages businesses, researchers and Member States to:
- consider safety, human health, environmental protection and sustainability from the product design stage;
- reduce or replace hazardous substances;
- assess the entire life cycle of materials;
- foster cleaner, more competitive industrial innovation.
The Recommendation does not introduce new legal obligations. Instead, it provides voluntary guidance for research, innovation and investment.
The revision forms part of the broader pathway established by the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, which aims to strengthen the protection of human health and the environment while promoting innovation across the European chemicals sector. It also reiterates the need to replace substances of concern wherever possible and to develop safer solutions throughout the entire product life cycle.
The updated framework reflects the experience gained during the pilot phase carried out after 2022. Following extensive consultation with stakeholders and industrial sectors, the Commission revised the original model to make the assessment process clearer, more practical for businesses and less burdensome from a procedural perspective.
The key principle is anticipation. Safety, sustainability, functionality and circularity are now integrated into the design process before a substance or material reaches the commercial stage. This fundamentally changes how formulation choices, raw material selection, process modifications and alternative solutions are evaluated.
How the new SSbD framework works
Under the revised approach:
- companies are expected to evaluate safety, environmental impact and economic sustainability during the research and design phase;
- the use of hazardous substances should be reduced or eliminated wherever possible;
- the entire product life cycle must be considered, including manufacturing, use, recycling and end-of-life management;
- recyclable materials, renewable energy sources and energy-efficient production processes should be prioritised;
- Member States are encouraged to support research, innovation and shared data collection;
universities and research centres should develop methodologies and training programmes; - safety and sustainability assessments should be documented in a transparent manner.
The EU Recommendation 2026/510 describes a process organised into iterative cycles. Each cycle includes five steps, from the initial scoping phase through to the documentation of results. The first phase is used to define the system to be assessed, identifying the substances, materials, processes and products involved. From there, objectives, design principles and decision-making criteria are established.
This is followed by the definition of the SSbD scenario, the safety and sustainability assessment, the overall evaluation and the recording of results. The cyclical approach makes it possible to revisit initial choices when new data, technical issues or alternative options emerge.
This aspect is particularly important in chemical value chains, where even a seemingly limited change can affect performance, compatibility, classification, handling, transport, end use and end-of-life management. A Safe and Sustainable by Design assessment requires a combination of different skills, from chemistry and safety to quality, sustainability and the interpretation of application requirements.
The central idea is simple:
rather than waiting until a product is already on the market to discover potential problems, environmental and health risks should be prevented from the design stage.
The link between SSbD, research and chemical data
The Commission is promoting the application of the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework within research funding programmes, including Horizon Europe. This confirms that the methodology is designed above all to support innovation, the development of new materials and the search for safer alternatives.
Another key element concerns the management of chemical substance data. Regulation (EU) 2025/2455 establishes a common data platform on chemicals and sets out rules to ensure that data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. The Regulation is linked to the One Substance One Assessment approach, which aims to make the assessment of substances across the European Union more coordinated.
This direction has practical implications. Companies will need to improve the quality of their technical and regulatory data. Scattered information, misaligned versions, undocumented assessments and informal steps will make it more difficult to respond to requests from customers, authorities and supply chain partners.
What changes for chemical value chains
The SSbD framework directly affects value chains in which substances and mixtures perform a specific technical function. A formulation choice must also be assessed on the basis of how the substance is used, the process it enters, possible exposure, durability, compatibility with other materials and the required performance.
In industrial production, this approach can affect product development, purchasing, laboratory activities, quality, manufacturing and documentation. Companies working with mixtures, technical fluids or materials intended for specific applications will need to manage the transition from design to production with particular care.
Why this also concerns lubricants and technical fluids
Lubricants are formulated products. Their effectiveness depends on the balance between base oils, additives, compatibility with the application and conditions of use. Every modification requires technical checks, as it may affect stability, performance, classification, documentation management and behaviour during use.
The EU considers the following aspects particularly relevant:
- biodegradability of oils;
- aquatic toxicity;
- presence of persistent or hazardous substances;
- emissions and carbon footprint;
- recyclability of packaging;
- use of regenerated or renewable base oils.
The SSbD model could encourage:
- biodegradable lubricants;
- regenerated base oils;
- reduction of critical additives;
- less toxic formulations;
- more sustainable packaging.
For chemical companies, this can translate into very concrete activities, such as mapping the most sensitive substances, checking data availability, updating product development procedures, involving quality and safety teams at an earlier stage, recording the rationale behind decisions, and making dialogue with customers and suppliers more robust.
For companies that manufacture lubricants or outsource their production, the issue is also linked to process quality. Clear specifications, raw material control, batch traceability, change management and consistent documentation are becoming increasingly important working conditions.
Within this framework, Iglom can interpret Safe and Sustainable by Design through the activities it manages every day in the contract manufacturing of lubricants and other fluids: from specification checks to traceability, from quality control to the orderly management of production flows.
