REACH overview
A proposal for a regulation to underpin a new chemicals policy in Europe, known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals), was made by the EU Commission in 2003. The REACH regulation came into effect in June 2007.
The new regime places an obligation on all producers and importers of substances, including substances in preparations, to conduct detailed chemical safety assessments of those substances and then register them with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
REACH contains provisions requiring authorisation, by ECHA, of substances identified to be of greatest concern, including all substances which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, repro-toxic, persistent bio-accumulative and toxic or very persistent and very bio-accumulative.
This is intended to promote the substitution to less harmful alternatives. There are also new rules about communication to customers and suppliers to maintain information both up and down the supply chain.
We have closely monitored the development of REACH. Within the steel sector we have played an active role in establishing the European steel industry position through Eurofer (European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries). We have identified our obligations and developed a strategy for ensuring that we fulfil them. In order to meet the requirements of REACH we have established a dedicated corporate level team to assist our operating businesses to identify substances and take part in the registration of those substances.
My Order
