The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a helpdesk to support UK business in the run-up to the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals (REACH) regulations which is expected to undergo its second reading in the European Parliament this autumn and could enter into force in April 2007.
REACH aims to address a number of serious short-comings in the current legislation, which include:
- the lack of available information on risks to human health and the environment for the majority of chemical substances on the EU market
- the slow and resource-intensive nature of the current system
- transferring the responsibility for the assessment of chemicals from the regulatory authorities to industry
- the distortions of the internal market inherent in the current fragmented legislative regime
The Regulation requires Member States to set up a Competent Authority (CA) which will be tasked to the HSE to fulfil a number of tasks including:
- Provide a Helpdesk for (national) duty holders and other stakeholders under REACH
- Enforce compliance with Registration, at least reactively in response to whistle-blowing
- Evaluate substances and suggest to relevant EU REACH committees appropriate regulatory consequences (eg Classification & Labelling, restrictions on use)
- Nominate candidates to sit on the various EU REACH decision-making committees and provide support for such people in their performing of such roles
- Liaise as appropriate with relevant enforcing organisations in relation to "downstream" responsibilities under REACH, eg the implementation by users of the risk management measures designated by suppliers; the adherence to restrictions or Authorisation
The legally designated CA will be the Secretary of State in England, Minister for Scotland, Minister for Wales and relevant Minister for Northern Ireland who will then together delegate the functions to the HSE. Their representative departments will then support the HSE as the CA.
Jeff Rooker, Minister with responsibility for REACH policy commented:
"I am pleased to announce that together with my counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I have asked the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to take on the responsibilities of UK Competent Authority for the proposed new EU chemicals legislation REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals) and that they will today be launching a helpdesk for UK business.
"The Competent Authority will provide advice and support to UK business for dealing with the requirements of REACH, liaise with the new European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki and coordinate enforcement of the regulations in the UK."
The helpdesk will initially provide information and advice to enquirers on REACH from the perspective of the developing Competent Authority and can be contacted on 0845 408 9575 or UKREACHCA@hse.gsi.gov.uk
