REACH regulation

It is estimated that there are over 103,800 different chemicals being manufactured/used within the EU. However, very little is known about the possible harmful, toxicological or environmental dangers posed by the majority of these chemicals. To rectify this situation, the European Parliament has endorsed a new chemical safety regulation known as REACH.

What is REACH?
REACH is an acronym for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals and will enter into force on 1st June 2007.

The REACH proposal requires industry to register all existing and future new substances with a newly formed European Chemicals Agency. REACH will catalogue the properties, uses and possible harmful effects of all chemicals currently on the market within the EU, whether manufactured within the EU or imported. When fully implemented, REACH will see improved communication of the hazards and risks associated with a particular chemical up and down the supply chain - from its point of manufacture, to the importer/exporter of the chemical, and onwards to the eventual user of the chemical.

All chemicals are currently supplied with a safety data sheet that outlines the properties and hazards associated with a particular chemical. Under the new REACH regulations, these SDS will be greatly improved, and will provide the chemical user with much more detailed information on the hazards posed by a particular chemical, along with measures to safely use the chemical.

Along with making chemicals safer to use, REACH intends to reduce the number of harmful and toxic chemicals by forcing manufacturers to supply safer chemicals where possible.

What about users of chemicals?
REACH does not only apply to the chemical industry – all users of chemicals, from dry cleaners, to retailers must comply with REACH. Detergents, metals and alloys also fall under the umbrella of the REACH regulations.

All users of chemicals are obliged to inform the manufacturers what they are using the chemical for. They must comply with measures to minimise the human/ environmental risk posed by the chemical as outlined in the improved SDS. If a chemical is being used for a purpose not listed in the SDS, the user must inform the manufacturer so that the use may be added to the SDS.

REACH appears very restrictive; a number of substances are exempt from REACH, such as waste, fuel-oil, natural gas and coal. When fully implemented REACH will provide a safer working environment for all manufacturers and users of chemicals – at a cost. It is estimated that REACH will cost the European chemical industry €2.5 billion.

Further information can be found at: http://www.hsa.ie, www.reachcentrum.org.