Description:

The REACH Regulation is the abbreviation for “Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals.” The REACH Regulation aims to require the demonstration that everyday products do not contain harmful chemicals to human health. Therefore, any daily product manufactured or imported into the European Union (EU), particularly textiles, must undergo registration, testing, and approval for harmful chemical substance content. Once the specified limits are exceeded, the product cannot be sold in the EU market.

Implemented on June 1, 2007, the REACH Regulation is a preventative measure for managing all chemicals entering the EU market. The European Commission issued a White Paper in February 2001 and officially enacted regulations in the first quarter of 2007, which became effective in EU member states.

Difference between REACH and RoHS:

Unlike the RoHS directive, REACH has a much broader scope. In fact, it affects nearly all industries and manufacturing processes, ranging from the mining industry to textile garments, light industry, and electromechanical fields. REACH requires manufacturers to register each chemical component present in their products, totaling approximately 30,000 substances. It also mandates assessing their potential risks to public health. REACH is based on the concept that the introduction of potentially hazardous and uncertain new materials, products, or technologies should not be taken lightly by society.

RoHS Directive:

Restricted Substances: Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB), Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE), Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).

REACH Regulation:

Restricted Substances: The total number entries of SVHCs on the Candidate List are 233. REACH requires the registration of approximately 30,000 chemical substances in use, accounting for nearly one-third of the 100,000 chemical substances present on the EU market. The testing will be progressively increased over 3, 6, or 11 years to encompass a broader range of substances. However, priority will be given to testing the most harmful substances or those with the largest import volumes before 2013. For the next three years, products containing the most hazardous substances, such as carcinogens, mutagens, and substances toxic to reproduction during reprocessing, must be registered and tested.