Supply Chain Tour
What is the REACH Directive
Features
The REACH Directive
The regulation referred to as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals) is European Union directive EC1907/2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment. It is the strictest law to date regulating chemical substances and will impact industries throughout the world. REACH entered into force in June 2007, with a phased implementation over the next decade. The REACH directive requires organisations to (i) register their use of chemicals and (ii) defines limits to the quantity of certain chemicals (substances) that may be used in products sold in the EU.
What does this mean?
REACH regulates any and all chemicals which are used in the production of everyday end products. When REACH is fully in force, it will require all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the European Union in quantities of one tonne or more per year to register these substances with a new European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki, Finland. The regulation defines a system of identifying the most hazardous substances and has defined a category of dangerous substances, known as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), which will be tightly controlled. Currently there are 15 SVHC items. Suppliers of products into the EU must certify that their products contain zero or <0.1% by weight of the identified SVHC.
