REACH Regulation on the management & control of chemicals came into force as scheduled on 1 June. REACH, which stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, aims to ensure a high level of protection of human health & the environment. The first major business milestone is on 1 July 2008 which marks the beginning of a 6m period during which chemical manufacturers can pre-register their products. This will involve a simplified process compared with the subsequent much more involved registration process. Subsequently, the EC published on 1 June 2007 a series of Questions and Answers on the new European Chemical Agency (ECHA) & the REACH Regulation. It explains what the ECHA is and will do, its involvement with REACH and how the regulations will operate.
