E.U. Chemical Regulation List Starts off Short

By GreenerDesign Staff
Published September 22, 2008

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BRUSSELS, BE -- Governments and groups have developed two widely-different lists of chemicals to possibly be covered by the E.U.'s REACH chemicals law.

The Member State Committee of the European Chemicals Agency has nominated 16 chemicals for inclusion under REACH, and a group of public interest and non-governmental organizations have complied a list of almost 270 chemicals they feel should also be included.

The REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) law started to go into effect in June 2007 and is being implemented in phases over 11 years. When fully in place, any company manufacturing or importing chemicals into the European Union will have to register those chemicals, even if they are a part of products. Some chemicals will be identified as "substances of very high concern," such as those that can cause cancer or remain in humans for long times, and the European Chemicals Agency can force companies to disclose information about such chemicals in products, substitute them with alternative chemicals or request approval to use those substances.

The Member State Committee is meeting next month to discuss the 16-chemical list, which could be pared down to 12 since the Committee was previously unable to reach unanimity on four of the chemicals. Geert Dancet, the executive director of the European Chemicals Agency has called the REACH list a "living list" open to updates and additions.

A much lengthier list has been proposed by the International Chemical Secretariat and other groups. Their REACH SIN (Substitute It Now) list includes almost 270 chemicals they say should be added to REACH's oversight. They are also aiming the list at companies, encouraging them to use their list in order to get ahead of upcoming regulations.

The Agency is expected to publish its first candidate list of REACH chemicals in late October.