What is REACH?
REACH is a European Union Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006) implemented to ensure the safety of chemicals for the human health and the environment.
What does it mean REACH?
REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals.
What does REACH Regulation set?
REACH sets up the procedures for the compilation and evaluation of all data related to the properties and hazards of chemicals.
Companies can identify their obligations depending on their role and activity. Some of these obligations are described below:
- REACH Registration
- Safety Data Sheets
- Restriction of Substances
- Substances subjected to authorisation
- Notification of substances contained in articles
- Communication in the supply chain (IV Title)
Who is affected by REACH Regulation?
REACH is a cross-regulation affecting – more or less directly – the whole industry, even companies that do not belong to the chemical industry.
Depending on their activity, REACH Regulation sets different roles for the companies:
- Manufacturer – company that produces a chemical substance for its private use or intended to be used by third parties.
- Importer – company that introduces a chemical substance to the European Union or EEA (European Economic Area) as itself or inside a mixture.
- Downstream user – company that uses chemical products without being a manufacturer nor an importer. Downstream users must check their obligations regarding the manipulation of any chemical product.
- Only Representative – Natural person or legal entity established in the EEA and appointed by a non-EU company as its Only Representative according to REACH, with the aim of complying all obligations related to the importer role.
- Articles provider – Manufacturers or importers of articles, downstream users, distributors or other agents implied in the supply chain that commercialise an article.
- Distributor – company whose only activity resides in the storage and commercialisation of chemical substances or mixtures without using them in any way.
If you want to know which roles apply to your company and therefore which obligations you must accomplish do not hesitate to ask us at [email protected]