REACh

REACh - Expertise on your side Print version (http://www.helmag.com/en/reach/pdf/REACh_englisch_website.pdf)

OBJECTIVES    REACh stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals and is the name for the new European chemicals legislation which came into effect on 1 June 2007. The purpose of the REACh directive is to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment when handling chemicals while at the same time improving competitiveness and innovative capabilities.

After almost nine years, this recommendable objective - involving the participation of the European Commission, the industry, EC memberstates, the European Parliament and various environmental organisations - has resulted in one of the most complex and far-reaching bodies of legislation ever drawn up in Brussels.

PARADIGM SHIFT Under REACh, responsibility now applies to manufacturers/importers and industrial or commercial users of chemicals. Control functions primarily fall to the authorities. NO DATA - NO MARKETING If a chemical substance has not been registered it will not be possible to market it. Under REACh, chemical substances on their own or in preparations exceeding one ton (t) in volume per annum per manufacturer or importer must be registered.

When registering, data regarding physic-chemical, toxicological and environmentally hazardous properties must be submitted to the Central European Chemicals Agency ECHA in Helsinki.

In the case of chemical substances classified as hazardous on the basis of the data obtained, comprehensive risk management measures must be defined and these must be based on actual usage. This work is also part of the registration dossier.

EVALUATION AS A CONTROL INSTRUMENT Since responsibility for the safe handling of chemicals lies with the industry, the authorities, in the shape of the European Chemical Agency, will take on a controlling function. The contents of the registration dossiers can undergo an evaluation in accordance with a plan drawn up earlier by the ECHA. SPECIAL HAZARDS - SPECIAL PROCEDURES Chemical substances with properties that pose a particularly high risk or which are a cause for very high concern may be subject to an authorization. This affects chemical substances that are proven to produce carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic effects either in humans or in animal testing. It also affects chemicals which, on account of their poor bio-degradability (persistent substances) and their capacity for accumulating in nature (bio-accumulative substances), are particularly harmful to the environment.

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR CHEMICAL USERS It is not only the manufacturers or importers who are required to register that have responsibilities under REACh. In future, all industrial or professional users will become so-called "downstream users" under REACh. They will be responsible for ensuring that the information regarding safe handling that the supplier provides in the safety datasheet is accurate and can be applied.

If this is not the case, the upstream supplier must be informed and clarification must be sought with regard to how safe handling can be assured. It may be necessary to determine whether a chemical cannot be used under certain circumstances. Distributors take on a special role in such cases because in many instances, they, as the intermediary between the "downstream user" and the registered manufacturer / importer, will have to forward information.

PRE-REGISTRATION AND REGISTRATION For the registration of old substances already on the market, the REACh directive provides for transitional phases depending on certain volume ranges. Any new developed substances coming on the market from 01/06/2008 must be registered in accordance with REACh regulations immediately.

The following registration deadlines apply:

By 01/12/2010: All substances ? 1,000 t/a; all substances with Risk Phrase 50/53 "Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment" ? 100 t/a and any substances ? 1 t/a proven to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic either in humans or in animal testing.

By 01/06/2013: all substances100 t/a- 999 t/a

By 01/06/2018: all substances1 t/a- 99 t/a

In order to comply with these deadlines, the manufacturer/importer who is required to register must pre-register by 01/12/2008 at latest.

REACH + HELM AG

We at HELM AG take our responsibilities very seriously. We have established a REACh department and are training all our staff intensively in preparation for the REACh requirements. In order to clarify the issue of pre-registration / registration, we at HELM AG are currently in intensive discussions with our suppliers. In some cases we will be registering products ourselves in order to be in a position to continue providing our customers with reliable

supplies. In many cases, we will provide non-EU suppliers with support in deciding on the form of registration.
Registration itself is linked to the use of the substance. Here too, we at HELM AG are already working on the issue and are compiling all the information available internally so that we can prepare for strategic communication with our customers. We will embark on this as soon as the structure regarding the definition of usage has been finalised by the EU.

DID WE ASK HELM?

Our staff are already in a position to answer your questions regarding REACh. Our REACh department will be happy to deal with any special questions you may have.  

The following web links have additional information about REACh:

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) (de, en)
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) - REACh Helpdesk (de, en)
BDI REACh-Helpdesk (de)
REACh-Net (de)
REACh e-learning (de)
Cefic REACh-Centrum (en)
EU-Kommission "REACh in brief" (en)
FAQ (en)