You are here:

EU Chemicals policy: REACH

Around 100,000 different substances are registered in the EU, of which around 30,000 are manufactured or imported in quantities above 1 tonne. Adequate data on the environmental and health effects is available for only a small proportion of these chemicals.

The previous EU regulatory system inherent in current EU policy for dealing with the majority of these chemicals - known as "existing" substances - had been in place since 1993 and has prioritised 140 chemicals of high concern. Although a programme of work was drawn up, progress on regulatory action was slow.

In response to that, the European Commission published a white paper outlining ideas on the future EU chemicals strategy in February 2001. The white paper proposed a single system to gather hazard information, assess risks, classify, label, and restrict the marketing and use of individual chemicals and mixtures. This is known as the REACH system:

Registration of basic information of substances to be submitted by companies, in a central database.
Evaluation of the registered information to determine hazards and risks.
Authorisation requirements and restrictions imposed on the use of high-concern substances. This process will be used for both new and old...
CHemicals.

REACH covers both "new" and "existing" substances. All chemicals produced or imported into the EU in quantities above 1 tonne per year will be registered in a central database. Chemicals deemed to be of most concern will need an authorisation. This will require industry to gain specific permission for particular uses which have been demonstrated to be safe. Other uses will be prohibited.

REACH entered into force on 1 June 2007. The first major milestone was the pre-registration period for eligible chemicals, which ran from 1 June – 1 December 2008. Chemicals that were pre-registered benefit from phased registration deadlines up to June 2018, depending on the annual tonnages involved. A ‘late’ pre-registration is available to companies that manufacture or import an “existing” substance for the first time after 1 December 2008, but only within 6 months of starting manufacture or import, and up to 12 months before the registration deadline for the relevant annual tonnage band.

The new regime also created the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and has now replaced previous regulatory controls on chemicals. The Existing Substances (Regulation 793/93/EEC) continued alongside REACH for one year in order to help facilitate the transition to REACH, and was then replaced by REACH from 1 June 2008. Similarly the Marketing and Use Directive (76/769/EEC) was replaced by REACH on 1 June 2009.

Next steps – timetable (PDF 40 KB) - last updated April 2008
REACH Summary Presentation (PDF 35 KB)
Contact the REACH team: necs@defra.gsi.gov.uk

The UK national Competent Authority for REACH is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and has set up a Helpdesk to provide UK businesses with technical advice and information on the implementation of REACH. The Helpdesk can be contacted by email at ukreachca@hse.gsi.gov.uk. There is also a website at www.hse.gov.uk/reach containing much more information and advice, as well as links to other useful sites and sources of information.

Evaluation of the EU REACH Regulation

REACH requires each EU Member State to report to the European Commission every five years, starting from 1 June 2010, on the operation of REACH in their respective territories. Within the UK, queries on REACH operation and impacts may also come from a number of sources, such as Parliament, government departments, industry, and non-governmental stakeholders.

To help identify the information that is most likely to be to needed to evaluate the impact of REACH in the UK, and the ways in which that information may be gathered and assessed, Defra commissioned a scoping study to examine possible indicators and baselines from which to measure them, which reported in August 2009. The study took account of the main objectives of REACH to provide a high level of protection for human health and the environment, enhancing competitiveness and innovation in industry, increased transparency of information on chemicals, development of non-animal alternative test methods, and the efficient implementation of REACH requirements.

The study drew up a detailed list of possible indicators, likely costs, what the confounding factors may be in measuring them successfully, and thus their feasibility and suitability for reporting on REACH impacts. Defra is now considering how best to use this information in developing a system for monitoring and evaluating the operation and impact of REACH in the UK. A copy of the scoping study is available here.