On May 26, 2016 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released its second report on the operation of the regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures (CLP). As main achievements so far, ECHA highlights the accumulation of information on chemicals and the public availability of that information on ECHA’s website. “Increased knowledge of chemical properties leads to improved chemicals management, to safer products and to the phasing out of the most dangerous substances,” ECHA states.
To further improve chemicals management in Europe, companies need to update and augment the quality of the registration data and safety data sheets on chemicals, ECHA writes. Also, companies need to provide more data on the nanoforms of their substances. Therefore, ECHA recommends that the European Commission soon clarifies the legal requirements for nanomaterials in REACH. ECHA further recommends reviewing the requirements in CLP because companies provide contradictory classifications for substances.
The interface between REACH, CLP, and other legislation should be optimized by making more use of the generated data to comply with other EU chemicals legislation, ECHA suggests. Lastly, ECHA notes that companies are required to notify substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in products, but very few companies have done so thus far. ECHA therefore recommends reviewing the notification obligations in the context of the circular economy. Overall, ECHA does not see an imminent need to revise REACH.
Read more
ECHA (May 26, 2016). “Report confirms safety improvements in Europe.”
ECHA (May 2016). “Report on the operation of REACH and CLP 2016.” (pdf)
ECHA (May 25, 2016). “Safer chemicals in Europe – the journey so far.” Youtube
