Contents

Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

Journal:
Manual of European Environmental Policy
ISSN:
1467-0445
E-ISSN:
1740-3529
Publisher:
Routledge,
DOI:
10.3763/meep.2010.0113
Author:
Institute for European Environmental Policy
Information last updated:
April 2012
Publication date:
April 2012

Historically, the Regulation concerning Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (hereafter REACH) evolved from three earlier phases with their distinctive approaches towards chemicals. In the 1970s, ad hoc restrictions on the marketing and use of chemicals that were known to be harmful began to be introduced (often following accidents). The 1980s saw a systematic and proactive approach to new chemicals which were not allowed into the market before they had been tested. The 1990s developed the evaluation of existing chemicals but only about 140 chemicals were included into priority lists and of these only a few have been evaluated and even fewer restricted1. This disappointing progress in evaluating existing chemicals was one of the main reasons for REACH, which introduces a single system for all chemicals and abolishes the distinction between ‘new’ (introduced into the market after 1981) and ‘existing’ chemicals (listed in the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances (EINECS) before 1981). Consequently, REACH incorporates into its remit all existing chemicals about which sufficient information is often lacking for effective assessment and control. It also transfers the burden of proof of risk assessments of substances from the public authorities to industry and places much more responsibility on manufacturers, importers and downstream users to provide useful information about the chemicals on the market. REACH also calls for the progressive substitution of the most dangerous chemicals when suitable alternatives have been identified.

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