Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
| European Union regulation | |
| Title | Regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) |
|---|---|
| Made by | European Parliament and Council |
| Made under | Art. 95 (EC) |
| Journal reference | L396, 30.12.2006, pp. 1–849 |
| History | |
| Date made | 18 December 2006 |
| Came into force | 1 June 2007 |
| Preparative texts | |
| Commission proposal | COM 2003/0644 Final |
| EESC opinion |
C112, 30.4.2004, p. 92 C294, 25.11.2005, pp. 38–44. |
| CR opinion | C164, 2005, p. 78 |
| EP opinion | 17 November 2005 13 December 2006 |
| Other legislation | |
| Replaces |
Reg. (EEC) No 793/93 Reg. (EC) No 1488/94 Dir. 76/769/EEC Dir. 91/155/EEC Dir. 93/67/EEC Dir. 93/105/EEC Dir. 2000/21/EC |
| Amends | Dir. 1999/45/EC |
| Amended by | Reg. (EC) No 1272/2008 |
| Current legislation | |
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union regulation dated 18 December 2006. REACH addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment. Its 849 pages took seven years to pass, and it has been described as the most complex legislation in the Union's history and the most important in 20 years. It is the strictest law to date regulating chemical substances and will affect industries throughout the world. REACH entered into force on 1 June 2007, with a phased implementation over the next decade. The regulation also established the European Chemicals Agency, which manages the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of REACH.
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 (ECHA) in Helsinki, Finland. Since REACH applies to some substances that are contained in objects (articles in REACH terminology), any company importing goods into Europe could be affected.
The European Chemicals Agency has set three major deadlines for registration of chemicals. In general these are determined by tonnage manufactured or imported, with 1000 tonnes/a. being required to be registered by 1 December 2010, 100 tonnes/a. by 1 June 2013 and 1 tonne/a. by 1 June 2018. In addition, chemicals of higher concern or toxicity also have to meet the 2010 deadline.
About 143,000 chemical substances marketed in the European Union were pre-registered by the 1 December 2008 deadline. Although pre-registering was not mandatory, it allows potential registrants much more time before they have to fully register. Supply of substances to the European market which have not been pre-registered or registered is illegal (known in REACH as "no data, no market").
REACH also addresses the continued use of chemical substances of very high concern (SVHC) because of their potential negative impacts on human health or the environment. From 1 June 2011, the European Chemicals Agency must be notified of the presence of SVHCs in articles if the total quantity used is more than one tonne per year and the SVHC is present at more than 0.1% of the mass of the object. Some uses of SVHCs may be subject to prior authorisation from the European Chemicals Agency, and applicants for authorisation will have to include plans to replace the use of the SVHC with a safer alternative (or, if no safer alternative exists, the applicant must work to find one) - known as substitution. As of 15 June 2015[update], there are 168 SVHCs on the candidate list for authorization.
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