REACH is the Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into force on 1st June 2007 to streamline and improve the former legislative framework on chemicals of the European Union (EU). REACH places greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks that chemicals may pose to the health and the environment.
In principle REACH applies to all chemicals: not only chemicals used in industrial processes but also in our day-to-day life, for example in cleaning products, paints as well as in articles such as clothes, furniture and electrical appliances.
The overall goals of the new policy are to ensure the protection of human health and environment, maintain the competitiveness of the European chemical industry and ensure the free circulation of substances on the internal market of the European Union.
Why REACH?
REACH replaces about 40 pieces of legislation with a streamlined and improved Regulation. Other legislation regulating chemicals (e.g. on cosmetics, detergents) or related legislation (e.g. on health and safety of workers handling chemicals, product safety, construction products) not replaced by REACH will continue to apply. REACH has been designed not to overlap or conflict with the other chemical legislation.
How will REACH work?
REACH makes industry bear most responsibilities to manage the risks posed by chemicals and provide appropriate safety information to their users.
In parallel, it foresees that the European Union can take additional measures on highly dangerous substances, where there is a need for complementing action at EU level.
REACH also creates the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), located in Helsinki, with a central coordination and implementation role in the overall process.
All manufacturers and importers of chemicals must identify and manage risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market. For substances produced or imported in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year per company, manufacturers and importers need to demonstrate that they have appropriately done so by means of a registration dossier, which shall be submitted to the Agency.
What is Promens doing?
Promens is thoroughly committed to safer products and processes. In the drive for constant improvement, it continues to invest heavily in research and development and the application of ever-safer materials and technologies.
At Promens we do not add substances or use manufacturing processes in our business that requires us to pre-register or register any of our products under the REACH legislation. The registration requirement is imposed on our suppliers.
Our role is to make sure that the chemical substances we use to manufacture our products are dealt with in accordance with the legislation. Promens is therefore implementing procedures to accommodate the REACH rules. As part of our procedure we have approached all our suppliers, enquiring about their REACH preparations and compliance hereto.
At this stage manufacturers and importers must provide their downstream users with the risk information they need to use the substance safely. This will be done via classification and labelling system and Safety Data Sheets (SDS), where needed.
More information
If you are looking for more information about REACH and our articles, please contact us through your Promens sales contacts.
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