Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals (REACH) is a new European Union Regulation, EC/2006/1907 of 18 December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment. Its 849 pages took seven years to pass, and it has been described as the most complex legislation in the Union's history and the most important in 20 years. It is the strictest law to date regulating chemical substances and will impact industries throughout the world. REACH entered into force in June 2007, with a phased implementation over the next decade.

When REACH is fully in force, it will require all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the European Union in quantities of one tonne or more per year to register these substances with a new European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki, Finland. Because REACH applies to some substances that are contained in objects ('articles' in REACH terminology), any company importing goods into Europe could be affected.

Potential registrants (i.e. manufacturers and importers of chemical substances) must 'pre-register' these substances by December 1, 2008, in order to benefit from postponed 'phase in' deadlines. Although 'pre-registering' is not mandatory, it is free and an important step in allowing potential registrants much more time before they have to fully register.

Supply of substances to the European market which have not been registered as required is illegal (known in REACH as 'no data, no market').

REACH also addresses the continued use of chemical 'Substances of Very High Concern' (SVHC) because of their potential negative impacts on human health or the environment. The European Chemicals Agency may need to be notified of the presence of SVHCs in articles, if they are present above certain tonnage and concentration thresholds. Depending on the substance in question and its use, producers and importers may then be obliged to investigate its effects on human health and the environment.

A shortlist of some SVHCs will be subjected to new controls under REACH - this is called 'authorisation'. This shortlist will be created as an annex to the Regulation (Annex XIV), and will be drawn from lists of SVHCs published over the next year. Continued use of Annex XIV substances will have to be justified on a case-by-case basis, and applications for authorisation must include plans to replace use of an Annex XIV substance with a safer alternative (or, if no safer alternative exists, the applicant must work to find one) - known as 'substitution'.

The European Chemicals Agency can deny authorisation, making continued use illegal.

REACH applies to all chemicals imported or produced in the EU, in contrast to the US Toxic Substances Control Act which only applies to chemicals newly coming into use. The European Chemicals Agency will manage the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of the REACH system.

The European Commission supports businesses affected by REACH by handing out - free of charge - a software application (IUCLID), which simplifies capturing, managing and submitting of data on chemical properties and effects.

History

REACH is the product of a wide-ranging overhaul of EU chemical policy. It passed the first reading in the European Parliament on 2005-11-17, and the Council of Ministers reached a political agreement for a common position on 2005-12-13. The European Parliament approved REACH on 2006-12-13 and the Council of Ministers formally adopted it on 2006-12-18. Weighing up expenditure versus profit has always been a significant issue, with the estimated cost of compliance being around 5 billion euro over 11 years, and the assumed health benefits of saved billions of euro in healthcare costs. However, there have been different studies on the estimated cost which vary considerably in the outcome.

The European Union is currently developing a separate law to regulate the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, which will implement in Europe the worldwide standards for providing information about chemicals on labels, set out in the United Nations Globally Harmonised System of the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN GHS). The new European Regulation will complement REACH.

Reason behind REACH

The legislation was proposed under dual reasoning: protection of human health and protection of the environment.

Using potentially toxic substances (such as phthalates or brominated flame retardants) is undesirable and REACH will force the use of certain of these substances to be phased out. Using potentially toxic substances in products other than those ingested by humans (such as electronic devices) may seem to be safe, but there are several ways in which chemicals can enter the human body and the environment. Substances can leave articles during consumer use, for example into the air where they can be inhaled or ingested. Even where they might not do direct harm to humans, they can contaminate the air or water, and can enter the food chain through plants, fish or other animals. According to the European Commission, little safety information exists for 99 percent of the tens of thousands of chemicals placed on the market before 1981. There were 100,106 chemicals in use in the EU in 1981, when the last survey was performed. Of these only 3,000 have been tested and over 800 are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. These are listed in the Annex 1 of Directive [67/548/EEC]

Continued use of many toxic chemicals is justified because 'at very low levels they are not a concern to health'. However, many of these substances may bioaccumulate in the human body, or chemically react with one another, thus reaching dangerous concentrations.

Controversy

Apart from the potential costs to industry and the complexity of the new law, REACH has also attracted concern because of the potential for a very significant increase in animal testing under the proposal.

Animal tests on vertebrates are allowed only once per one substance, and where suitable alternatives can't be used. If a company pays for these tests, it must sell the rights to the results for a "reasonable" price (although this is not defined). There are additional concerns that access to the necessary information may prove very costly for potential registrants needing to purchase this.

On June 8, 2006 the REACH proposal came under criticism from a group of nations including the United States, India and Brazil claiming that the bill would hamper global trade.

Implementation

Member State Committee of ECHA unanimously agreed on the identification of 14 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) that may become subject to authorisation at its meeting in Helsinki of 7 and 8 October 2008.

See also

• European Chemicals Bureau
• Environmental health
• Quality of life
• Consumer protection
• Poison
• Lead poisoning
• Mineral wool
• Carcinogen
• Porter hypothesis
• Directive 67/548/EEC
• EUR-Lex
• National Chemical Emergency Centre
• SusChem Engineering

References

• Schapiro, Mark, "New Power for 'Old Europe'" The Nation, December 27, 2004, 11-16.
• Fernández, J. "Propuesta de Reglamento sobre clasificación de sustancia y mezclas peligrosas en la UE" Ingeniería Química, Enero 2008, 454
• Fernández, J. "Aplicación estratégica del Reglamento REACH a la importación de sustancias químicas", Ingeniería Química, Noviembre 2007, 452
• Fernández, J. et al.; "Análisis del Reglamento REACH: Recomendaciones prácticas para su aplicación en la producción de sustancias químicas", Ingeniería Química, Abril 2007, 446
• Fernández, J. et al.; "Análisis de la propuesta del Reglamento REACH (IV): Procedimientos de evaluación, autorización y restricción de determinadas sustancias", Ingeniería Química, Enero 2006, 431
• Fernández, J. et al.; "Análisis de la propuesta del Reglamento REACH (III): Procedimientos de registro de substancias y otras obligaciones asociadas", Ingeniería Química, Diciembre 2005, 430
• Fernández, J. et al.; "Análisis de la propuesta del Reglamento REACH (II): Ámbito de aplicación", Ingeniería Química, Noviembre 2005, 429
• Fernández, J. et al.; "Análisis de la propuesta del Reglamento REACH (I): Antecedentes y otras acciones internacionales", Ingeniería Química, Octubre 2005, 428

External links

Guidance from European authorities

• REACH - the official legislative text
• European Chemicals Agency - for extensive official guidance on the new system
• European Commission Directorate-General Environment REACH site
• European Commission Directorate-General Enterprise REACH site
• European Chemicals Bureau REACH site
• Official website of the UK REACH Competent Authority
• REACH helpdesk of the Federal Government of Belgium, Ministry of Environment
• Download site for the IUCLID5 software package to help manage REACH duties

Other links

• CIRS REACH service from Chemical Inspection & Regulation Service Ltd
• REACH Compliance, http://www.reach-compliance.eu
• REACH Mn Consortium
• REACH services: trainings, consultancy and consortia management
• The award-winning REACH service from the Chemical Industries Association, http://www.reachready.co.uk
• What is REACH? From the National Chemical Emergency Centre
• US Commercial Service description of the EU approach to the UN GHS (which will complement REACH)
• H2 Compliance - REACH Only Representative and REACH Compliance Services
• Compilation of REACH Resources and commercial services, http://www.rohs-international.com/reach/
• How to Get Your Products Ready for REACH: A Guide for Article Manufacturers
• www.eChemPortal.eu, a global portal to information on Chemical Substances
• BBC - Chemical campaigns 'misleading'
• BBC - Q&A: REACH chemicals legislation
• REACH overview www.EurActiv.com
• REACh Registration : Guidance for Non-EU producers
• 400 links in English, German and Dutch about REACH
• Collection of model agreements in connection with REACH
• REACH conference for chemical ingredients industry
• REACH consulting - Eurofins Product Service

Criticism

• BUAV campaign on animal testing under REACH
• Small companies objections to REACH's implementation
• Europe’s Global REACH: Costly for the World; Suicidal for Europe (Hayek Institute, 2005)
• Cartoon examining animal testing under REACH