Last Updated: May 10
Category: General News
The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations come into force in June this year. The regulations aim to improve protection of human health and the environment through better and earlier identification of the properties of chemical substances. They apply to businesses that manufacture or import more than one tonne of a chemical substance per year, and require them to register it in a central database.
The REACH regulations aim to end the distinction between those chemicals classed as existing chemicals introduced before 1981, of which there are apparently about 100,000, and those introduced after this date which are classed as new. Under the current legislation only new chemicals, of which there are about 4,300, need to be tested. The existing chemicals will now also need to be tested to identify the risks posed to human health and to the environment.
Manufacturers and importers of chemicals are required to gather comprehensive information on the chemicals they produce or import and submit these to a European chemicals register. Authorisation will only be granted to businesses that can prove that any risks to the environment or human health are adequately controlled, or that social and economic benefits outweigh the risk and a suitable alternative cannot be found.
Chemicals will be registered in three phases according to the tonnage of the substance:
- More than 1000 tonnes a year, or substances of highest concern, must be registered in the first 3 years;
- 100-1000 tonnes a year must be registered in the first 6 years;
- 1-100 tonnes a year must be registered in the first 11 years.
The Health and Safety Executive are responsible for implementing the regulations in the UK. For further information visit their website
