The chemicals industry is being urged to prepare for the second phase of REACH registration by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
The ECHA, which manages the administration behind the EU regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), has launched a new campaign to help organisations understand what they must do to be compliant with the legislation before the next deadline in May 2013.
Under REACH, which came into force on 1 January 2007, 30,000 chemical substances that are manufactured in Europe or imported into the bloc in quantities of one tonne or more each year must eventually be registered with the ECHA by 1 June 2018.
The second registration phase affects all organisations importing or making at least 100 tonnes of chemicals each year and the ECHA is advising firms to start preparing for registration early. Less than two-thirds of the registrations expected in the first phase of REACH, which ended in December 2010, and covered firms making or importing 1,000 tonnes of chemicals annually, were received by the ECHA
In a bid to boost compliance with the regulation, the ECHA has created dedicated pages on its website explaining the requirements of the regulation, outlining actions that must be taken by those affected by it, providing additional guidance and sharing examples of best practice.
For more information visit the ECHA website.
