Reach

What is REACH

REGISTRATION, EVALUATION, AUTHORIZATION OF CHEMICALS  

Regulation of the European Parliament and Council concerning the safety of chemicals usage through their registration and evaluation and in some cases authorization and limiting the trade and usage of chemicals.

REACH regulations apply directly without the need to introduce them into the Polish law. It came into force on 01 June 2007 and replaced many legal provisions in force at that time, both regulations and directives introduced into Polish law by the Act on on chemical substances and preparations.

What is REACH about?

Provisions of REACH regulation govern in principle all chemicals, however there are some substances, such as plant protection products, biocidal products, medical products, cosmetics, or additives for food and feeds are regulated by other Community provisions and therefore are partially or almost totally excluded fro the provisions of REACH.

Also natural products are excluded from the registration, if they are not dangerous and were not qualified as chemically modified.

REACH regulation differentiates between several roles in supply chain of chemical substances in their raw form, or as a mixture, or contained in a products sold by the company. Duties that need to be fulfilled depend on the role of the company in the supply chain. The company may play different role in a supply chain for different substances.

Why is REACH used

REACH regulation changes the situation of chemicals control system in the European Union. Number of changes were introduced as part of the regulation. They aim for the improvement of the management and control of chemical trade in the European Union. The division between "new" and "existing" substances is gone – they are all included in a single system. The responsibility for risk assessment and research over a given substances was transferred from the authorities to the business. Manufacturers and importers are therefore obliged to register substances. Further users are included in the control system of the chemical substances, and as a result the information about the risk posed by the substances is present in the whole supply chain.

Basic goals of the system created by the REACH regulations are:

  • protection of human health and natural environment,

  • providing high level of workplace safety,

  • maintaining and strengthening the competitiveness of European chemical industry,

  • integration of European and wider international actions,

  • limiting to the minimum tests on vertebrate animals.

REACH provisions in JARMAG SP. J. operations

Due to the fact that JARMAG SP. J. is not a producer but a trader, and therefore depending on the source of the chemical substances it can be either a distributor or further user or importer.

Irrespectively of the place in the supply chain we comply with all of the rules imposed by the REACH provisions and take care that the goods provided (material, mixtures) are in accordance with the provisions of law.

More about REACH:

National REACH Information Centre http://reach.gov.pl

European Chemicals Agency http://echa.europa.eu

Ministry of Economy's REACH and CLP Consultation place http://www.reach-info.pl

Chemical Substances Bureau http://www.chemikalia.gov.pl/