REACH, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Control of Hazardous substances has been brought in to bring the technical understanding of all chemicals made or marketed in the EU up to a high standard. Since the early 1980s, new substances on the EU market, or made in the EU, have been subject to detailed testing, and REACH will bring substances on the market before that time up to the same standard.

REACH is being brought in gradually, using a phase-in period from now until 2018. This is risk-based, with very hazardous, or very large volume substances being registered first (by 2010), and less hazardous and low volume substances having to register by 2015 or 2018.

However, there is a pre-registration period from June 2008 – 2009, and if you don’t pre-register your substances, then you won’t benefit from the phase-in period and must register them immediately (or stop import or manufacture).

TT Environmental Ltd's REACH consultancy services currently help chemical manufacturers and business end-users understand their REACH liabilities, and manage the flow of information up and down the supply chain. As REACH moves from pre-registration to full registration, we anticipate becoming involved in compiling Chemical Safety Reports and carrying out detailed environmental modeling.

Outline information about REACH can be found on the HSE’s website  (HSE are the UK’s Competent Authority for REACH). HSE have a helpdesk for enquiries by phone, tel 0845 408 9575, or email UKREACHCA@hse.gsi.gov.uk, and have provided excellent help during the pre-registration period. Their training events can be viewed here and they also have an email newsletter which you can sign up to here.

For detailed help with REACH, contact Janet on 01422 24 22 22, or email janet@ttenvironmental.co.uk