Dokument - 23 april, 2006
Preparation of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) regulation on chemicals has reached a critical stage in Europe. Depending on how key elements of the legislative proposal are finalised, especially that on the authorisation of uses of so-called ‘substances of very high concern’, REACH could either provide an effective measure to phase-out such chemicals by driving innovation towards cleaner and safer alternatives, or instead condemn the EU to decades more of inefficient and ineffective analysis and risk assessment while avoidable chemical exposures are allowed to continue.