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What is REACH?
REACH stands for the Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into force on June 1, 2007, to streamline and improve the European Union's (EU) former legislative framework for chemicals. REACH also creates the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which has a central coordination and implementation role in the overall process. ECHA is located in Helsinki, Finland, and will manage the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction processes for chemical substances to ensure consistency across the EU.
The aims of REACH are to:
- improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals;
- enhance the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry, a key sector for the economy of the EU;
- promote alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances, and
- ensure the free circulation of substances on the internal market of the European Union.
How is REACH different?
REACH replaced approximately 40 pieces of legislation with a single, streamlined and improved regulation. REACH created the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), with responsibility for a central coordination and implementation role in the overall process.
Other legislation regulating chemicals (such as for cosmetics or detergents) or related legislation (such as health and safety of workers handling chemicals, product safety, or 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 does REACH work?
All manufacturers and importers of chemicals must identify and manage risks linked to the substances they manufacture and market in the EU. For substances produced or imported in quantities of 1 metric ton 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.
Once the registration dossier has been received, the agency may check that it is compliant with the regulation and evaluate testing proposals to ensure that the assessment of the chemical substances will not result in unnecessary testing, especially on animals.
Where appropriate, authorities may also select substances for a broader Substance Evaluation (SEV) to further investigate substances of concern. Manufacturers and importers must provide their downstream users with the risk information they need to use the substance safely. This will be done via the classification and labeling system and (extended) Safety Data Sheets (SDS) where needed.
What chemicals are covered by REACH?
REACH follows a substance-based approach and applies to the manufacture, sale or use of substances on their own, in mixtures or in articles. REACH applies to all substances with a few exemptions that include but are not limited to:
- natural (non-modified) substances;
- non-isolated intermediates (intermediates that during synthesis are not intentionally removed, except for sampling, from the equipment in which the synthesis takes place), and polymers (under the condition that the monomers have been registered)
A number of other substances are exempted from parts of the provisions of REACH, where other equivalent legislation applies (such as waste or substances used in medicinal products).
What is the timeline for REACH?
Substances falling under the scope of the REACH regulation and not exempted from the registration obligation must be registered before they can be manufactured or placed on the market (including import) in the EU. Substances that have long been on the EU market, were called phase-in substances, and those that have not previously been placed on the EU market, are called non-phase-in substances.
Phase-in substances that are manufactured or imported in a quantity of 1 metric ton or more per year, and which were pre-registered in 2008, were required to be registered in 3 different phases, with the last phase ending 31 May 2018.
Substances that have not previously been placed on the EU market, are required to be registered before manufacturing or importing in volumes over 1 metric ton per year.
How are INEOS Composites complying with REACH?
As a supplier, manufacturer, importer and purchaser of chemical substances in the European Union (EU), it is in our mutual best interests to comply with the REACH regulations, as well as to ensure the supply of goods to us and to our customers is not disrupted.
INEOS has successfully completed REACH registrations for substances requiring registrations before the last RAECH deadline. We have also ensured that all substances sourced from third-party suppliers are REACH registered, where applicable. Non phase-in substances we place on the market have been registered.
However, even with the final REACH phase-in deadline completed, we continue to ensure REACH compliance for the products we place on the market, including, but not limited to, any new substances introduced into the market by INEOS.
As a non-EU customer, how am I affected by REACH?
Non-EU customers exporting products within the scope of REACH to the European Union must ensure that their EU-based importer has registered any of the relevant substances or monomers which are imported at levels over one metric tonne per year.
No rights can be derived from this publication and INEOS disclaims any liability for any errors or omissions. Each customer, supplier or other person or entity doing business with INEOS is solely responsible for the correct and full compliance with its obligations under REACH.