REACH puts the focus back on chemical safety

The European Union (EU) regulation REACH became effective June 1, 2007, to regulate chemicals manufactured in and imported to EU member states. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. It requires EU manufacturers and importers to register their chemical substances before placing them on the market. Registered substances are then subject to evaluation, authorization or restriction by authorities, including the European Commission, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and/or member states. In addition to regulating chemicals in 28 EU member countries, REACH also applies in the European Economic Area (EEA), including Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland.

REACH impacts all industry sectors dealing with chemical products manufactured in or imported to the EU/EEA. Companies exporting to EU/EEA countries must also be aware of REACH impacts and requirements.

ExxonMobil is committed to complying with the requirements of REACH and has taken all necessary steps to achieve timely REACH implementation and compliance. We maintain a high level of involvement in industry consortia and trade associations to achieve cost-effective implementation, to ensure all changes are built upon evidence-based science principles and a risk-based approach to safe use of chemicals, and to influence scheduled updates to the regulation, all while maintaining consistency with our strong corporate policies and business strategies.

The objectives of REACH are compatible with the industry’s commitment to Responsible Care and increasing public access to information on chemicals. Other existing regulations and voluntary mechanisms share common objectives with REACH but may be simpler and less costly to implement and administer. Any regulation should recognize that chemical substances can be used safely with appropriate risk management measures.

Learn more about ExxonMobil activities and status on REACH on our ExxonMobil Europe website.