REACH Enforcement Update

from ECHA press release 1 June 2010:

The scope of the REACH-EN-FORCE 1 project was to verify that pre-registration obligations and specific requirements applicable to the safety data sheets (SDS) have been fulfilled. In the period May – December 2009 almost 1, 600 inspections were carried out in 23 Member States in addition to Norway and Iceland. In total 878 manufacturers, 666 importers, 83 only representatives and 858 downstream users were inspected.
Non compliance with REACH obligations was found in 24% of the inspected companies. An infringement of Article 5 of the REACH Regulation, the ‘no data, no market’ provision, was found in 2.6% of the companies inspected and in 5.6%, the content of the pre-registration was incorrect. The required SDS were not available in 11% of the companies and in 20%, the SDS were not in compliance with the language and format requirements. The report shows that 15% of the SDS needed for the verified products were incorrect.

Better than I would have expected!

REACH is being enforced, so don't be complacent.  The above was Phase I and they are looking at how to improve and be more consistent.  Need help?  EHS Strategies, Inc.