Consultation on UK Enforcement of REACH
DEFRA has recently published a document to gather stakeholder
views on the proposals for the enforcement of the European Union's REACH
Regulation within the UK.
REACH (Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) is a new
system to control the risks which chemicals pose to human health and
to the environment. REACH will come into force on 1st June
2007 and then be introduced progressively until 2018. REACH will form
the European Union's framework legislation for the management, control
and use of chemicals, replacing much of the current patchwork of over
40 separate pieces of European chemicals legislation.
REACH will apply to manufacturers, importers, distributors and professional
users who market or use chemicals to ensure that those chemicals are
registered with the newly established European Chemicals Agency, in
Helsinki. Before a chemical can be registered, the applicant must provide
information about the characteristics and hazards, if any, associated
with that chemical. REACH also requires information about risks associated
with chemicals to be set out and provided to users in Safety Data Sheets.
Chemicals which pose a serious hazard may be banned, "restricted",
or may be used only following the granting of a specific "authorisation."
The scope of this consultation is on the proposals for the enforcement
of REACH in the UK, including proposals for a penalties regime. This
is because the UK is required to have an enforcement and penalties
regime in place no later than 1st December 2008. The consultation
does not cover the nature of REACH itself, nor does it cover how UK
business is expected to comply.
Consultation on the enforcement of REACH in the
UK is available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/reach-enforce/consultation.pdf
The consultation period closes 4 June 2007
[March 2007]
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