What is REACH?
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is EU Regulation that came into force on the 1 June 2007. The regulation replaces a number of European Directives and Regulations with one single system for the regulation of chemicals.
REACH obligations are placed on substances manufactured or imported into the EU in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year (unless exemptions apply). Under REACH a manufacturer or importer of a substance into the EU must register their substance with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by creating a registration dossier which includes a range of data depending upon the volumes manufactured/imported. In addition, the deadline by which data must be provided to the ECHA will depend on the type of substance you want to register (‘phase in’ or ‘non-phase in’ - see definitions).
Non phase-in substances must be registered with ECHA before they are manufactured or imported into the EU at quantities of 1 tonne/year or more - (see registration of non phase in substances).
To assist companies with phase-in substances plan for registration a scheme of extended deadlines has been constructed which prioritises substance registration based on tonnage and toxicity. The process begins with a declaration known as a pre-registration, which is made to ECHA. By 1 December 2008 all companies manufacturing or importing a substance into the EU at 1 tonne or more per annum and who wished to take advantage of the extended registration deadline scheme should have pre-registered that substance with ECHA.
It is still possible for companies who are manufacturing or importing a phase-in substance at 1 tonne/year or more for the first time to make a pre-regiostration and get the benefits of the extended registration deadline scheme. In this instance the declaration is known as a late-pre-registration (conditions apply).
Once pre-registered manufacturers/importers can take advantage of the phased deadlines set by ECHA for registration:
1 December 2010 - EXPIRED
- > 1000 tonnes/year
- > 100 tonnes/year and R50/53?
- > 1 tonne/year and CMR Category 1 or 2
All substances in the above categories must now be registered Any manufacturer/importer creating or trading such substances without a registration is acting ILLEGALLY.
1 June 2013
- > 100 tonnes/year
1 June 2018
- > 1 tonne/year
To find out more about your obligations under REACH please see our Services page or contact ReFaC now.
