REACH

REACH REGULATION

The REACH Regulation entered into force on June 1st 2007. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals and will replace about 40 current items of legislation.

The stated aims of REACH are to:

• Improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals
• Enhance the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry, a key sector for the economy of the EU
• Promote alternative methods for the assessment of hazards of substances
• Ensure the free circulation of substances on the internal market of the European Union

REACH requires the manufacturers and importers of substances in amounts greater than one ton per year to submit a registration to the European Chemicals Agency.

• The first step is for each manufacturer/importer to submit a pre-registration to the Agency in the period 1/06/2008 to 30/11/2008. The Agency will then publish a list of pre-registered substances. All manufacturers/importers who notified their intention to register the same substance will participate in the Substance Information Exchange Form (SIEF)
• The second step will be the submission of a registration dossier for each substance according to the following timetable based on the quantities of the substance manufactured or imported:
  • 30/11/2010 - More than 1.000 tons per year (plus CMR Cat 1 or 2 more than 1 ton/year or R50-53 more than 100 ton/year)
  • 31/05/2013 - More than 100 tons per year
  • 31/05/2018 - More than 1 ton per year

ISOPA ACTIVITIES

ISOPA has established three Task Forces to prepare for pre-registration and registration and to facilitate the setting up of consortia for key substances, including intermediates and monomers.

LIST OF SUBSTANCES UNDER CONSIDERATION:
Key substances related to MDI, TDI and associated POLYOLS

• Aniline
• DNT Category
• MDA Category
• MDI Category
• TDI Category
• MNB
• Ortho - TDA
• Phosgene
• Polyether Polyols - NLPs Category
• Meta - TDA Category

For more information on ISOPA REACH activities please contact Wolfram Frank (+32 2 6767476 or email ).

For information on REACH in general and to dowload the Regulation, visit the Agency website.