HSE launches REACH helpdesk

E101:06 10 October 2006

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), from today, will be providing a helpdesk to support UK business in the run-up to the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals (REACH) regulations coming into force.

REACH is a new European regime for the regulation of chemicals, for which HSE will be the Competent Authority (CA), aimed at ensuring a high level of protection for human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals.

Once fully operational the CA, in addition to providing the helpdesk, will monitor compliance, evaluate substances of concern, as well as taking regulatory action as appropriate, coordinate UK enforcement of the regulations

The CA will work closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Environment agency, the devolved administrations and other government departments and liaise with the new European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki.

Notes to editors

1. REACH is expected to undergo its second reading in the European Parliament this autumn and could enter into force as early as April 2007.
2. The Regulation aims to address a number of serious short-comings in the current legislation. These 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; and the distortions of the internal market inherent in the current fragmented legislative regime.
3. The Regulation will require Member States to set up competent authorities 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
4. The announcement that HSE will take on the Competent Authority role was made at the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum meeting today in Belfast. The HSE also attended to discuss its plans for the Competent Authority with members of the Forum, which includes representatives from the UK chemicals supply chain, non-governmental organisations, trades unions, environmentalists, and bodies representing consumer and animal welfare interests, and the scientific community.
5. The legally designated competent authority 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 HSE. Their representative departments will support HSE as the Competent Authority.

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