New ruling requires preregistration of chemicals bound for EU

SOUTH AFRICAN companies exporting chemicals to Britain and other European Union destinations have been warned that chemical imports to those countries will have to be pre-registered. From the end of this year, chemicals imported into Europe in amounts of one ton per year or more will need to be registered with a new European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki. The legislation applies to all companies that directly import anything from outside the EU, be it chemicals, mixtures (eg paints, cosmetics, intermediates, polymers), finished products (eg clothes or plastic goods) or articles (eg scented candles) containing substances intended for release, according to official Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (Reach) documentation. Exporters may find their products turned back if their customers fail to pre-register. Businesses that preregister their chemicals by December 1, 2008, will benefit from three staggered deadlines for full registration. These are December 1, 2010 for over 1 000 tons per year (this threshold lowers to 100 tons for substances classed as ‘very toxic to aquatic organisms’ or one ton for Category 1 or 2 carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants); June 1, 2013 for more than 100 tons per year; and June 1, 2018 for more than 1 ton annually. Companies outside the EU cannot register chemicals themselves, but can appoint an EU-based agent – an ‘only representative’ to act on their behalf. More information on Reach can be found at HYPERLINK "http:// www.hse.gov.uk/reach" \o "blocked::http://www.hse.gov. uk/reach" www.hse.gov.uk/ reach.