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 most commonly used substances 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://echa.europa.eu).
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
(RMMs) 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 safety information will be given in extended Safety Data Sheets
(eSDS), which will include the recommended safe handling practices and RMMs.
Without the required information, substances that fall under the REACH
regulation may not be manufactured, imported, traded or used in the European
Union.
No REACH = no market!
