UK REACH, the UK’s independent chemicals regulatory framework, starts on 1 January 2021
Businesses which make, sell or distribute chemicals into Great Britain will need to follow the UK’s new domestic chemicals regulations including UK REACH from tomorrow (1 Jan 2021)], Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has announced.
The government has worked closely with partners, industry and stakeholders to develop a new IT system to manage the UK’s chemicals industry which contributes some £11.2 billion GVA to the UK economy per year.
The ‘Comply with UK REACH’ system will go live and can be used by business to fulfil their transitional provisions and create new registrations. The new system enables the UK to make decisions on regulation of chemicals that are based on the best available scientific evidence, ensuring that chemicals remain safely used and managed.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:
We have worked closely with industry and partners to develop the Comply with UK REACH IT system, which is fitting for our world-leading chemicals industry.
Having our own independent chemicals regulatory framework will ensure that we make decisions that best reflect the UK’s needs while maintaining some of the highest chemicals standards in the world.
Businesses will be able to use the Comply with UK REACH IT service to:
- Validate existing GB-held EU registrations (‘Grandfathering’)
- Submit downstream user import notifications (DUIN)
- Submit new substance registrations
- Submit new product and process orientated research and development (PPORD) notifications.
Businesses will need to contact Health and Safety Executive to ensure that they:
- Validate existing UK-held product and process orientated research and development (PPORDs)
- Provide information on any authorisation matter, including new authorisation application, grandfathering of existing authorisations, and downstream user notifications of authorised uses
The chemicals industry employs over 100,000 people across the UK and accounts for over £30 billion of exports each year.
Detailed UK REACH guidance is also available on the Health and Safety Executive website.