REACH, the European regulation for Registration, Evaluation, A
uthorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, came into force on June 1,
2007. REACH places greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks that
chemicals may pose to people’s health and the environment. REACH effectively
replaces a diverse range of directives and national laws with a focused,
uniform system.
Substances that are regulated under other specific legislation, for example
food and feed applications, are exempted from REACH. The current applicable
legislation will continue to apply for these substances.
REACH applies to many commonly used substances, including those we use in our
day-to-day life. To allow the continued supply of all these chemicals, each
one must be registered with the European CHemicals Agency,
ECHA, in Helsinki (
http://ec.europa.eu/echa/).
All manufacturers and
importers of a substance in quantities above
1 ton per annum must identify the hazards linked to the substances they
manufacture and import. Furthermore, appropriate Risk Management Measures must
be developed for each use of each substance. The information must be
communicated to downstream users so that they can handle the substance safely.
The classification and labeling system will be used for the communication in
the chain. The information will be given in extended Safety Data Sheets
(eSDS), which will include both hazards and recommended safe handling
practices.
Without the required information, substances that fall under the REACH
regulation may not be manufactured, imported, traded or used in the European
Union.
