Product category:
Manufacturing industry news
News Release from: Enviro Tech Europe
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 April 2007
REACH may be too complex for SMEs
REACH may turn out to be a 'nightmare' for smaller companies and they are worried about many obligations to publish or communicate information and fear a loss of intellectual property.
Following a recent article from Enviro Tech Europe highlighting difficulties with Europe's REACH legislation the UKS trade association has indicated similar reservations The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has expressed concern that the six REACH Implementation Projects (RIPs) risk making REACH too complex for smaller and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Mar 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
REACH legislation affects industry
Enviro Tech Europe discusses the most radical change in the European chemical industry in 20 years and the effect of Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals legislation.
Military approves Ensolv vapour degreasing
An alternative medium to trichloroethylene for vapour degreasing by Enviro Tech has been approved under strict criteria following performance testing by a leading US military aerospace manufacturer.
Tests show solvent to be the safest
Manufacturter of Ensolv n-Propyl Bromide-based vapour degreasing solvent said that vitro human cell bioassay study is a far more reflective guide than animal testing.
"We have repeatedly pointed out that simplicity is the key to REACH compliance for SMEs with limited technical and financial resources - and SMEs account for more than 95% of the European chemical industry," said CBA director, Peter Newport.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that this message is being lost within the RIPs which seem intent on overcomplicating the REACH regulations," he added.
CBA's viewpoint is mirrored by other published concerns about various aspects of REACH's development.
* 'Small volume producers and exporters with multiple products are likely to see REACH costs of more the US$1 million' (EUR 740,000, GBP 504,000) according to contract research firm RCC.
REACH 'may turn out to be a nightmare' for smaller companies; the newly-created European Chemicals Agency 'may be overwhelmed with (REACH) applications to the point where it can't do its work properly'; and, 'smaller companies are worried about many obligations to publish or communicate information and fear a loss of intellectual property' according to German MEP, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff.
* More than 50% of SMEs in Japan were unaware of REACH and its implications according to a recent survey of the chemical sector by Japan's Ministry of the Environment.
"From an SME's perspective, the only way forward for REACH is to 'keep it simple' and minimise the bureaucracy and complexity.
This does not imply a weakening of the new regulations - but it will improve their effectiveness.
Applying simplified use and exposure categories, for example, would be a major step forward and would ease the compliance burden for SMEs," said Newport. Request free introductory details about products from Enviro Tech Europe ...
• Enviro Tech Europe: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
