WHAT IS REACH?
European regulation REACH No. 1907/2006/EC (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals) came into force on 1 June 2007 within the European Union. With the main objective of improving the protection of man and the environment, REACH aims to encourage innovation by reinforcing knowledge about chemical substances and communication between stakeholders in the usage chain.
A pioneer internationally, REACH is a process for management of risks of chemical substances which is characterised by:
- registration of the substance by manufacturers and importers, according to the volume
- an authorisation procedure
- a restriction procedure
- transmission of information within the supply chain
KEY DATES FOR REACH
WHAT IMPACT FOR YOU?
All companies are concerned by REACH to differing degrees. It is important to determine your status for each substance (the status can vary according to the substance): am I the manufacturer? importer? distributor and/or user? If you are a Condat customer you are considered a distributor and/or downstream user.
If you are a distributor of substances on their own or contained in preparations:
“The distributor is the natural person or legal entity established in the Community, including a retailer, who only performs operations of storage and marketing of a substance (…) for third parties.” The distributor is not a downstream user. His role is to circulate information among stakeholders.
If you are a downstream user of substances on their own or contained in preparations:
REACH has created the concept of downstream user (DU). It is a “natural person or legal entity established in the Community (…) who uses a substance, on its own or contained in a preparation, in the exercise of its industrial or professional activities.” This can include formulation (that is, manufacture of preparations), the manufacture of articles within the EU, or the use of substances for professional purposes.
I must verify by studying my supplier’s SDS:
- if hazardous substances bearing a REACH registration number are declared in section 3.
- that my use of the substance or the preparation containing the REACH registered substances is covered (in accordance with the uses identified in section 1.2 of the SDS or on the Technical Sheet)
- that I apply the recommended risk management measures (data included in the SDS or in the exposure scenario)
CONDAT’S COMMITMENTS
Download our commitments regarding REACH.
Links and useful documents:
Website of ECHA/REACH Section
CONTACT
Your REACH contact, within the product regulatory affairs department at CONDAT group:
Contact Laetitia CHAUVY, CONDAT Product Regulatory Affairs