News

The new Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (Reach) legislation came into force today (1 June).

Reach requires that all chemicals of one tonne or more that have been manufactured in or imported into the EU are tested each year for health and safety, and are registered with the new European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki, Finland.

The cost of registration will be between £5,000 and £500,000, with fines likely for businesses that fail to do so.

Packaging bodies have expressed concern about a lack of clarity from the government over how the regulations will be policed, and say many in the industry are unprepared.

Recycled materials and imported chemicals are highlighted as grey areas.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has nominated the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the “competent authority” responsible for implementing Reach in the UK.

The HSE has set up a helpdesk and suggested that firms compile an inventory of the chemicals they use.

Although the new rules came into effect today, the first major milestone will be 1 July 2008, which is the start of a six-month ‘pre-registration’ period.

If a producer pre-registers before 1 December 2008, registration is spread over 11 years to 2019, depending on the tonnage produced.

Jeff Rooker, the minister for sustainable farming and food, has advised industry to make sure that it is gearing up so it can make full use of the pre-registration opportunity.

Around 100,000 different substances are on the EU’s list of existing chemicals, with 30,000 manufactured or imported in quantities of more than one tonne.

Contact the HSE helpdesk on 0845 4089575 or ukreachca@hse.gsi.gov.uk