CHRISTEL MUSSET
Director of Registration, ECHA, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

By 31 May 2018, small-volume chemicals manufactured and imported in the EU/EEA must be registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to continue to be legally available.
This closes the 10-year period for gathering information on existing chemicals.

The REACH 2018 deadline is extremely important for European businesses. Not only to manufacturers and importers who have direct registration obligations, but also to the users of chemicals, such as detergent brands, who should make sure that chemicals critical to their business have been or will be registered by the supplier. 

It is in the companies’ best interest to continue buying from a supplier who has a valid registration. This means that the supplier has assessed the hazards and uses of the chemical and can, therefore, recommend correct measures to protect workers, consumers and the environment from its potential adverse effects. 

With a few months to go until the end of May, you should already know if your suppliers are going to register the chemicals you need. If this is not the case, take action now. Here’s what you can do.

IDENTIFY SUBSTANCES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO YOUR BUSINESS

Most of detergents are considered mixtures under REACH. REACH registration is a way to get information flowing in the supply chains – your knowledge on the uses of substances will be complemented by information on the hazards generate ...