What is REACH?

In December 2006, the European Parliament and the European Council adopted the new regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals, more commonly known by the acronym REACH (Reg. (EC) 1907/2006). This regulation came into force in June 2007. REACH replaces about 40 previous pieces of legislation with a single comprehensive set of regulations. The new regulation shifts the proof for demonstrating that chemicals can be used safely from member states on to the industry.

Under the REACH regulation, all chemical substances manufactured in, or imported into, the EU in quantities of one metric ton per year or more must be registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki, Finland. For substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 10 metric tons a year or more, a Chemical Safety Report (CSR) must also be submitted, documenting the results of a safety assessment of the substance.

REACH covers almost all chemicals, both those used in industrial processes and those encountered in day-to-day life, for example in cleaning products, paints, clothes, furniture and electrical appliances.