UK businesses that manufacture or import chemicals from the EU will have to register those chemicals to a new UK regulatory system - UK REACH.
UK REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) will replace EU REACH and will require businesses to demonstrate how a chemical can be safely used with minimal risk to human health or the environment.
The chemicals sector is the UK's second biggest manufacturing industry and UK businesses currently hold over 12,000 registrations with REACH. A 'no-deal' would mean that a range of other key sectors would also be required to register any imported chemicals they use on UK REACH. This would include the motor manufacturing, cosmetics, construction and cleaning products industries.
Under the new requirements:
- UK businesses that manufacture a chemical (those currently registered to EU REACH) will need to validate their existing registration with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) within 60 days of the UK leaving the EU
- UK businesses that import a chemical substance from the EU will need to setup a new registration with HSE within 180 days of UK leaving the EU
- UK businesses that export chemicals to the EU will need to have an EU REACH registration in place once the UK leaves the EU
In addition, more technical information will need to be submitted by businesses to HSE within two years of EU Exit. The requirements are part of the Government's commitment to maintain environmental standards after we leave the EU.
In order to register on UK REACH in a no deal scenario, businesses need to take the following action:
- identify the chemical and quantity that they use
- understand how to register that chemical by reading the EU Exit guidance
- prepare the information for that registration
Businesses that may be affected should read the latest guidance on requirements for using chemicals after the UK leaves the EU on the HSE website: