REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals, while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry. It also promotes alternative methods for the hazard assessment of substances in order to reduce the number of tests on animals.
If you are a manufacturer or formulator of chemical substances or import them from outside the European Union, you may have registration obligations under the REACH regulation. REACH stands for the regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH). It came into force on 1st June 2007 and replaced a number of European directives and regulations with a single system.
REACH applies to all chemical substances, not only those used in chemical processes but also for end-consumer use – even if not hazardous -, for example in paints, as well as in articles such as clothes and furniture. Therefore, the regulation has a wide impact on the compliacne of most companies that deal with products for the EU-market.