REACH 'minefield' concerns chemicals makers

London – A European Commission announcement detailing a promised review of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) legislation, has prompted an angry response from the chemicals industry.

“This five-year review, which was supposed to deal with the anomalies, has fallen far short of providing the necessary clarity,” said Dr Joanne Lloyd, director of chemicals policy at the CIA, which represents UK-based chemical and pharmaceutical businesses.

“What we need and were promised from REACH is a piece of legislation that would encompass the many and varied pieces of law affecting working with chemicals making it easier for businesses, NGO’s, trade unions, governments and others to understand and work with.

“Some five years after the introduction of REACH we still don’t have that. We urgently need the Commission to tackle the regulatory minefield so that we can all be clear on what the law is.”

According to Lloyd, the CIA will set out these concerns in detail to the Environment Directorate General of the European Commission and to UK MEP’s.

Failure to address these issues, she warned, would have “a disastrous effect on smaller companies who will be hit by the next round of REACH implementation which assess chemicals produced and imported in smaller quantities.”