We are a Czech chemical company with long tradition and rich experience in research and production of surfactants, concrete plasticizers and superplasticizers, textile auxiliaries and other specialties.
REACH
What is REACH?
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals) entered into force in June 2007 on the basis of European Union Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of 18 December 2006. REACH requires all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the EU in quantities of one tonne or more per year to register these substances gradually within the next 11 years.
Who, where and how to register?
The primary responsibilities under REACH lie with their producers and importers. To be more specific, the regulation covers:
- producers, importers and downstream users of substances as such
- producers, importers and downstream users of substances contained in articles
- producers, importers and downstream users of substances contained in preparations
The substances as such or contained in preparations or articles are not allowed to be produced in, or imported to, the EU countries after December 1st 2008 unless they had been registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) sited in Helsinki. Every producer or importer is due to submit a registration application (according to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex II) if the amount of the substance is more than (or equal to) 1 metric ton per year, or if the substance is included in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex IV or V.
Information which must be provided for the registration depend on the tonnage of produced or imported substance (see Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annexes VII, VIII, IX and X). A dossier (technical documentation) is required to be submitted upon the registration process. It includes information on physical-chemical properties and toxicological and ekotoxicological hazards of the produced or imported substance and also a Chemical Safety Report (CSR) documenting considerations of hazards of chemical safety accordingly with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex I. The dossier is to be submitted for each substance contained in a preparation or article of registration tonnage over 10 tonnes separately. Evaluation of substances is carried out by the ECHA and the substances are not allowed to be used till the evaluation has been completed. If the substances don´t pass the evaluation process, neither their production nor import is allowed.
Using the pre-registration data, so called SIEF (Substance Information Exchange Forums) began to be formed after January 1st 2009. Companies associated with SIEF share and consider data and they will begin to prepare joint parts of registrations (joint submitting of data) which are submitted by the main applicant for registration. In the end, each company will send its own registration application containing its specific information that is connected to the joint parts of registration. Additionally, a registration fee is paid. Companies within SIEF will split the costs of testing proportionally. Each company then finances the proofs required for its own registration.
REACH scheme
When to register?
Both producers and importers could make use of the opportunity to pre-register their substances between June 1st and November 30th 2008. If they did so, they are obliged to register the substances within the terms set by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Article 23. The terms depend on the amount of produced or imported substance and the degree of its hazardousness. Unless the producer or importer pre-registered the respective substance, he is not allowed to produce or place it on the EU market as from December 1st 2008. Furthermore, he is obligated to submit a registration application with appropriate documentation in compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex II and not to begin with the production or import before the registration is carried out.
The ECHA published a list of pre-registered substances on its website after January 1st 2009 – including their CAS and EINECS numbers and the first assumed term of their registration.
Timeline of REACH
Enaspol and REACH
Enaspol a.s. acts in conformity with the REACH legislation and is very well prepared for the REACH process. We have been dealing with the procedure and its consequences for quite a long time so that we could reliably meet all requirements.
Currently:
- Our workers are regularly educated in the REACH questions.
- All processes in our company are considered from the aspect of REACH.
- Problems concerning REACH have always been, remain to be and will always be consulted with our suppliers.
- All substances in our products are (pre)registered either directly by us or our suppliers.
- The list of our pre-registered products will be gladly sent upon request.
- Enaspol communicates within the entire supply chain.
- Various usages of substances are identified among our customers and these are passed on to our suppliers to be taken into account by registration.
- Enaspol also participates in the communication within the SIEF respectively to its pre-registered substances.
- Gradual registration of our products will be communicated to our customers up-to-date.
For further information on REACH see its full version.
Further information can be found at following links:
ENASTA OD111.12.2009
Enaspol a.s. has developed a new product for form-removal in concrete components.
