Introduction to EU REACH Regulation - Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006

REACH is the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. It came into force on 1 June 2007.

REACH applies to substances manufactured or imported into the EU in quantities of 1 tonne per year or more. It covers substances on their own, in a preparation or in an article manufactured, imported, placed on the market or used:

• Preparation: A mixture or solution composed of two or more substances.e.g. ink, detergents. Substances in preparations shall be registered separately.
• Article: An object which during production is given a special shape, surface or design, which determines its function to a greater degree than its chemical composition. e.g. car, clothes, toys.

The Key Provisions of REACH Regulation Includes:

• Registration: Substances manufactured/imported over 1ton per year need to be registered with the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) by EU manufacturers and importers; non-EU companies have to rely on EU based REACH Only Representative to submit registrations on their behalf;
• Evaluation: Registration dossiers submitted will be examined by ECHA in terms of completeness and data requirements. ECHA will also assess a substance of concern for its environment/public health impact;
• Authorization: Listed Substances of Very High Concern(SVHC) in Annex XIV will not be allowed to be used, placed on the market or imported into the EU after a date to be set unless the company is granted an authorization;
• Restriction: Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation contains the list of all restricted substances, specifying which uses are restricted or even banned;
• Communication in the supply chain: Information about the safe use of chemicals (risk management measures) need to be communicated up and down the supply chain in the format of Safety Data Sheets or Chemical Safety Report.

REACH and Its Impact

The impact of REACH is not only on the chemical industry. Other industries such as electronics, toys, textiles and tyres, etc, are all affected by REACH. For example, chemical companies need to do REACH registration and prepare SDS. Manufacturers and importers of toys shall ensure that the concentrations of REACH restricted substances and SVHC in their products do not exceed certain threshold limits. CIRS offers full range of REACH compliance services to help you comply with REACH.

Note: If you place a chemical on EU market, you shall also comply with CLP regulation.

About CIRS

Chemical Inspection and Regulation Service (CIRS) is a leading product safety and chemical management consulting firm providing valued product regulatory compliance service, tailored solutions and original information to help clients gain competitive advantage by reducing business risks associations with regulatory affairs and removing barriers to entry. CIRS has provided cost-effective regulatory support to over 3,000 companies while doing businesses in both the EU and China. CIRS is the largest REACH only representative in the world. Since 2007, we have:

• pre-registered over 10,000 substances;
• registered over 1,000 substances;
• served as lead registrant for over 100 substances;
• prepared over 5,000 REACH SDS and CLP labels to date;
• acted as only representative for over 3,000 non-EU companies;
• served clients in more than 25 countries;

CIRS is a recommended service provider by China Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the US Mission to the EU and IDA. CIRS is also a member of Helsinki REACH Centre.

Contact

CIRS Europe