REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) is a European Union regulation adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals, while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry. It also promotes alternative methods for the hazard assessment of substances to reduce animal testing.
REACH was enacted by the European Parliament and the Council and came into force on June 1, 2007. It applies to all chemical substances; not only those used in industrial processes but also in our day-to-day lives, such as cleaning products, paints, and articles such as clothes, furniture, and electrical appliances. Therefore, the law has wide-ranging effects on most industries.
The central requirement of REACH is that manufacturers and importers are required to register the substances they produce or import with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). To register, they need to provide data on the properties, uses, and safe ways of handling the substances. This responsibility is intended to ensure that manufacturers and importers assess and manage the risks posed by chemicals and provide appropriate safety information to their users.
Another key element of REACH is the evaluation process, which serves to examine the data submitted by registrants to ensure their compliance with the regulation and to assess any risk the substance may pose. The most concerning substances are subject to an authorization process, which requires companies to seek permission to continue using the substance if it is deemed to pose significant risks to health or the environment.
Finally, REACH allows for the restriction of the manufacture, marketing, or use of certain substances if their risks cannot be managed adequately. This part of the regulation is intended to ensure that substances posing unacceptable risks to health or the environment are phased out and replaced with safer alternatives. Through these mechanisms, REACH aims to significantly enhance legislative transparency and promote the safety and sustainability of chemical usage within the EU.