A new regulation that will shake up the European industrial world
The new European regulation on recording, evaluating and authorising chemical substances, REACH is a mini-revolution. With the legislative modifications REACH presents, a new era of variances and adaptation has dawned for European industry. The mission of essenscia is to aid and guide businesses in the implementation of this ambitious project.
Context
REACH has not only obtained approval. This legislation has entered into the application phase. Far from being a side-note, REACH is more than ever at the heart of concerns of not only major players in the chemical field but also hundreds of chemical industry SMEs (see calendar below). While companies are preparing themselves for pre-registration and registration, the first revisions of the annexes have started and the technical documents of implementation (“REACH Implementation Projects”) are in the process of being drafted.
Importance for chemistry and life sciences industries
essenscia considers REACH one of its priorities. The transposition and application of REACH practices are essential for producers and sellers as well as users of chemical products. Within a federation such as essenscia, companies have to deal with several aspects of this legislation. Our companies produce, import, distribute and use chemical products. Each of these activities involves specific obligations and/or challenges in meeting REACH requirements. essenscia actively monitors that this legislation is applied correctly and that there is no discriminatory treatment between Member States.
Sector’s position
The chemical and life sciences sector is fully aware of the scope and potential effects of this European legislation. essenscia works with several individual companies in actively monitoring and drafting different “REACH Implementation Projects” in progress.
An important task for essenscia is transmitting technical knowledge acquired through implementation projects to the entire industrial world in Belgium. The communication process in the subcontracting chain, one of the innovative aspects of REACH, will have to be thoroughly reformed and our companies must be guided through this change.
The development of uses and event scenarios has not to date been supplied in the technical documents of implementation. Also yet to be seen are which professional areas and specific uses requiring special attention. The expertise of essenscia can also be used to develop scenarios that are effective in practice and suitable, possibly, for use across the spectrum of companies.
Also on the agenda is a large campaign directed toward sensitising not only our members but also, in keeping with the FEB, other sectors where important downstream chemical and life sciences industry products are found.
Recommandations
REACH remains a challenge for the chemical industry and its customers in the European Union. Essenscia requests that the government help companies by supplying them with practical solutions and supporting these companies in the most difficult part of the evaluation of risks. This programme must cover not only the chemical industry but all of Belgian industry as all chemical substance users are equally affected by REACH. This is not a plea asking the government to weaken REACH, but a matter of merging sectors seeking solutions that allow small companies in certain specific sub-sectors to respond more easily to the requirements of REACH (which they often know little of in general). Therefore, this request aims essentially to reduce costs to SMEs.
REACH remains as well on the political agenda as intermediate evaluations foreseen by the legislation and several decisions must still be made. The chemical industry requests that work that has yet to be done be completed in a pragmatic manner, taking into account the three pillars of sustainable development. Monitoring of REACH is a task that falls upon each Member State. As a federation, essenscia pleads for a harmonised approach regarding possible fines and other regulations so that there is uniform enforcement throughout Europe.
For useful links on REACH, see links under REACH.
Contacts :
Erwin Annys, eannys@essenscia.be, tel. 02-238 97 55