REACH regulation to come into force in June
19/12/2006
The EU has finalised the new REACH regulation (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals), aimed at avoiding chemical contamination of air, water, soil and the human environment in order to preserve biodiversity and safeguard workers' and citizens' health and safety. Replacing some 40 current legislative instruments, the regulation comes into force on June 1, 2007, with a central European body facilitating its administration and ensuring uniform application across the EU.
REACH will apply to substances manufactured or imported in quantities over 1 tonne per year, and is expected to be applied to approximately 30,000 substances. The regulation includes a number of key objectives including the provision of basic hazard and risk information on new and existing chemical substances manufactured in or imported into the EU; moving the burden of proof of safe use away from member states' authorities to the producing and importing companies; making downstream users responsible for providing information on uses and associated risk management measures relating to substances; and introducing an authorisation procedure for the most hazardous substances.
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