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The new EU regulation for chemicals (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals, REACH) has been in effect since June 1, 2007. REACH affects all companies that produce, import, or use chemicals. All these companies must now assume even more responsibility for the safe handling of chemicals. REACH aims at the further improvement of the protection of environment and health. BASF supports this aim without any reservation. To ensure the success of REACH in reaching its goals, the related legislation must be realizable for all parties involved: producers, importers, processing companies and users of chemical substances and products, but also the European an national authorities. As producer of chemicals, BASF will register all affected substances covered in the product portfolio according to REACH and will also submit the required documentation to the European Chemicals Agency. BASF will - with the help of the customers - identify the appropriate applications of substances and prove that their handling is safe. Already today, these requirementsare being attended by BASF. Here you can find the anwers to your most frequently asked questions!
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Has BASF pre-registered all substances?
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BASF SE complies with the requirements of the REACH regulation 1907/2006 and pre-registered all phase-in substances that are produced in or imported to the EU, except when: - - the products are excluded from the regulation
- - the products are excluded from registration
In accordance with the instructions for the transition phase of the REACH regulation, the full registration of affected substances will be implemented out from 2010 - 2018. To ensure comformity with REACH, BASF has been solely purchasing products that comply with REACH since December 2008 (pre-registration by producer / importer). While the pre-registration is conducted by every single supplier, the registration will be a joint activity of all registrants of a certain substance. Essentially, this includes the exchange of available data which is requested by REACH. In accordance with our strategic target "we are helping our customers to be more successfull", our portfolio is subject to constant improvement. Since the registration of substances according to REACH take until 2018 depending on the production volumes resp. import volumes, prognoses relating to the registration are currently not wise.
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Will BASF provide me in time with information on the substances on the canditate list?
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Articlel 33 of the REACH regulation requests the supplier of a certain product that contains a substance which is listed on the canditate list and has a concentration of more than 0,1% (w/w), to at least communicate the name of this substance to the purchaser / addressee, BASF SE will check after any addition of a substance to the canditate list whether our products contain this substance in concentrations above the required limit value. If this is the case, an annotation will be added to the affected data sheets. We are going to forward the updated version automatically to all customers who have ordered the affected product(s) over the past 12 months. Until now, we do not know of any substances in our packaging material that are part of canditate list, and that occur in concentrations above 0,1%. Should this state of knowledge change, we will inform you accordingly.
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Do I need to assure that my applications are covered in the registration dossier?
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The estimation of usage risks plays a very important part within the REACH concept and demands the exchange of information between the supplier and user. Estimations of usage risks will only be necessary for products containing substances that have been classified as dangerous and are listed on the safety data sheet. Products not classified as dangerous or substances which are produced in quantities less than 10 t per year do not require detailed information on usage. To facilitate communication and to reduce efforts in the supply chain, BASF and industry associations support the development of pragmatic approaches (e.g. generic exposition scenarios, categories for usage and exposition) to harmonize and facilitate the evaluation of customized expositions. Current questionnaires are limited in the survey of the required information. BASF is developing a technical solution to avoid duplication of work for our customers. This solution is supposed to ensure a timely monitoring of any information required by the customer. BASF recommends waiting for the information on application and expositions contained in the extended safety data sheet.
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What happens if my application is not mentionned in the registration?
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Our customers use BASF products for various purposes. We aim at supporting a broad variety of our products' applications. Usually, the registration of a substance results in a revised safety data sheet of the final product. As soon as the user receives the updated safety data sheet with a registration number, the obligations in connection with the exposition scenarios become mandatory. In the event of a certain application not being mentioned in the description of exposition scenarios, the user has to notify the supplier of the intended application wtihin 12 months, or to write a report on substance safety within 6 months. During this period of time, the application may be continued legally (c.f. article 39). No exposition scenarios need to be developed for products that do not contain dangerous substances (c.f. annex I, 0.6). This is also valid for substances produced in quantities less than 10 t per year (c.f. article 10.1). In this case, no detailed information on the application is needed.
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Are there any exceptions?
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For the following instances there is no obligation to usage disclosure: - - Quantities < 1 ton per year
- - Substance is a polymer
- - Substance is already subject to another law (e.g. biocide, food law, pharmaceutical, agricultural, etc.)
- - Excluded substances according to appendix IV and V
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General Information
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