‘Potential for improvement’ in REACH registration, says BASF
07/06/2013
The group submitted around 550 substance dossiers to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for this phase, which covers chemicals with a production volume between 100 and 1,000 metric tons per year, after submitting 680 substance dossiers in phase one. By the end of the final transition period in 2018, it is expecting to have submitted 3,500 registrations, costing the company between €500 million and €550 million.
Dr Karsten Müller, head of the chemical regulations unit at BASF, said: “Both the industry and the ECHA, which was founded a few years ago, have to adapt to the new system. This has been a learning process which is not yet complete. There is still potential for improvements, especially in communication between the registrant and competent authorities – both ECHA and the authorities in the EU member states.”
REACH applies to all substances produced in or imported to the EU. They are registered in three phases with data requirements depending on their production volume, and dossiers have to be updated regularly. The risk assessments are reviewed by ECHA and EU member states’ authorities, with the intention of ensuring the safe handling of chemical substances in Europe.
“In the third phase of registration, which is now beginning, with a significantly higher number of substances to be registered, more small and medium-sized enterprises are going to have to convert to REACH – many of them approaching this for the first time,” added Mr Müller. “Bureaucracy should be kept to an essential minimum for everyone involved.”
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