Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals

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Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union law . REACH covers the production and use of chemical substances, and has been described as the most important EU legislation for 20 years[1]. It is the strictest law to date regulating toxic chemicals and will impact industries throughout the world[2]. Once it comes into force - in June 2007 - REACH will require all chemicals of one tonne or more in volume that are manufactured in or imported into the European Union each year to be tested for health and safety and registered with a new central European authority – the European Chemicals Agency located in Helsinki, Finland.

REACH also applies to all chemicals that are considered of very high concern to health or the environment - regardless of volume. Depending on the substance in question and its use, producers and importers may be obliged to investigate its affects on human health and the environment. The most hazardous chemicals - carcinogens, reproductive toxins, or those that accumulate in humans or animals - can only be used if authorized by the European Chemicals Agency[3]. REACH applies to all chemicals imported or produced in the EU, in contrast to the US Toxic Substances Control Act which only applies to chemicals newly coming into use. The European Chemicals Agency will manage the technical, scientific and administrative aspects of the REACH system.

REACH will be phased in over 11 years.

Contents

[edit] History

REACH has already been significantly amended since the original version initiated by the European Commission in 2003. It passed the first reading in the European Parliament on 2005-11-17, and the Council of Ministers approved it on 2005-12-13. The European Parliment approved REACH on 2006-12-13. Weighing up expenditure verses profit has always been a significant issue, with the estimated cost of compliance being around 5 billion euros over 11 years, and the assumed health benefits of saved billions of euros in healthcare costs[4]. However, there have been different studies on the estimated cost which vary considerably in the outcome.

Over time, the amendments have generally been to make the legislature more strict. In October 2006, a new version which would force safer alternatives (rather than recommend) was shown strong support by the European Parliament's environment committee[5]. In December 2006, the European Parliment approved REACH, which includes legislation that requires companies to submit plans to replace the most hazardous chemicals - either with an existing safer alternative or, if no safer alternative exists, it requires companies to work to find one.[6].

[edit] Reason behind REACH

The legislation was proposed under duel reasoning: protection of human health and protection of the environment.

Using potentially toxic substances (such as pesticides or E numbers), is obviously not ideal and REACH will force the use of these chemicals to be phased out or replaced with a safer alternative. Using potentially toxic substances in products other than those ingested by human (such as electronic devices) may seem to be adequately safe at first, but there are several pathways in which the chemicals can enter the human body. The chemicals can leave the device during consumer use into the air, to be inhaled or ingested by human and secondly, the substances could end up in the environment. Here they might not do harm to humans directly, but through the contamination of ground water, these chemicals can enter the food chain through plants, fish or any other animal, and when eaten cause harm. According to the European Commission, little safety information exists for 99 percent of the tens of thousands of chemicals placed on the market before 1981.[7].

Most toxic chemicals in use today are justified because "at very low levels they are not a concern to health"[8]. However, many of these may bioaccumulate in the human body, or chemically react with one another[9], thus reaching dangerous concentrations.

[edit] Controversy

REACH has also attracted concern because of the potential for a very significant increase in animal testing under the proposal.[10]

On June 8, 2006 the proposal came under criticism from a group of nations including the United States, India and Brazil claiming that the bill would hamper global trade.[11]

[edit] See also

[edit] Reference

  1. ^ "Q&A: Reach chemicals legislation", BBC News, 28 November 2005.
  2. ^ "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/14/MNGR2MV8UT1.DTL&hw=toxic+chemicals&sn=001&sc=1000 European Parliament OKs world's toughest law on toxic chemicals 30,000 substances to be regulated -- U.S. will be affected]", San Francisco Chronicle, 14 December 2006.
  3. ^ "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/14/MNGR2MV8UT1.DTL&hw=toxic+chemicals&sn=001&sc=1000 European Parliament OKs world's toughest law on toxic chemicals 30,000 substances to be regulated -- U.S. will be affected]", San Francisco Chronicle, 14 December 2006.
  4. ^ "EU backs landmark chemicals law", BBC News, 13 December 2005.
  5. ^ "EU backs strong law on chemicals", BBC News, 10 October 2006.
  6. ^ "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/14/MNGR2MV8UT1.DTL&hw=toxic+chemicals&sn=001&sc=1000 European Parliament OKs world's toughest law on toxic chemicals 30,000 substances to be regulated -- U.S. will be affected]", San Francisco Chronicle, 14 December 2006.
  7. ^ "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/14/MNGR2MV8UT1.DTL&hw=toxic+chemicals&sn=001&sc=1000 European Parliament OKs world's toughest law on toxic chemicals 30,000 substances to be regulated -- U.S. will be affected]", San Francisco Chronicle, 14 December 2006.
  8. ^ "Pesticides 'in a third of foods'", BBC News, 27 September 2006.
  9. ^ "Food chemicals 'may harm humans'", BBC News, 21 September 2006.
  10. ^ REACH - EU Chemicals Testing. British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.
  11. ^ Beunderman, Mark. "EU chemicals bill under fire from US-led coalition", EUobserver.com, June 9, 2006.

[edit] External links

[edit] Criticism

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