REACH For The Stars!

Cooley's Productwise Bitesize brings you a short introduction to the REACH Regulation.

What is it called?

Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (more commonly known as "REACH").

What is it about?

REACH is the key EU Regulation regulating chemicals in the EU. It applies to the manufacture, placing on the market and use of chemical substances in the EU. REACH applies to chemical substances on their own (for example, lead), in mixtures (for example, paint) and in finished products (for example, a smartphone).

After Brexit, EU REACH is no longer directly applicable in the UK, where the EU regulation has been replaced by UK REACH, which largely follows the same approach embedded in EU REACH. Businesses that manufacture, place on the marker or use chemical substances in the EU and the UK must now comply with both regulatory regimes. In Northern Ireland, however, EU REACH will continue to operate