Paint & Coatings Industry - May 2008 - (Page 88)

European Union’s The EU’s REACH regulation has a clear message: meet the requirements or you will not be able to produce in, export to, or market within the EU. Is your company able to meet this challenge? he new European Union chemicals regulation came into force in June 2007. The regulation is known as REACH, which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. The implications of REACH for chemical and down-stream industries and for associated individual companies are significant in terms of cost, managing ongoing customer and supplier relationships, and because of its far-reaching regulatory requirements. The capability of a company to comply with the regulations and manage the implications of REACH will instill confidence in its customers, strengthen longterm partnerships and have a tremendous impact on business. REACH is not simply a regulatory requirement but also an important business opportunity, whether in optimizing a company’s product range, maximizing further innovation, or for increasing sales through better downstream understanding. T zation will involve formal requests to the agency, development of substitution plans and high fees. Implementation Preparation European Union chemical manufacturers, importers of substances, preparations and articles and downstream users will all be affected by the implementation of REACH. The time to prepare is now. Pre-registration for substances manufactured or imported into Europe begins June 1, 2008 and ends November 30, 2008. It is important that companies take advantage of the regulatory benefits offered with pre-registration, similar to the advantages gained in the transitional period of the Canadian New Substance Notification Regulations back in the 90s. Preparation for implementation can be addressed by the following four steps: · assessment of product portfolio; · company in-house implementation; · preparation for pre-registration; and · development of a REACH master plan. The first step to managing REACH is to assess your product portfolio. The assessment should start with identifying products either sourced from, or imported into, the European Union (EU). The substances contained in these products should then be inventoried. If you are only sourcing from companies in the Euro- REACH Purpose The purpose of the REACH regulation is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment as well as the free circulation of substances on the internal market while enhancing competitiveness and innovation. The regulation will achieve this goal by requiring businesses to register the substances in their products and fully identify, and make public, any potential risks from the use of these chemicals. For certain substances, classified as potentially dangerous under REACH definitions, the company must define exactly how to safely use the chemical throughout the lifecycle. Maintaining compliance for hazardous substances subject to authori- By Joyce Borkhoff, Head of Regulatory Services Canada | Ciba Canada Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario 88 MAY 2008 | W W W . P C I M A G . C O M http://WWW.PCIMAG.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Paint & Coatings Industry - May 2008

Paint & Coatings Industry - May 2008 Contents Viewpoint Industry News Calendar of Events Company News Mergers and Acquisitions Names in the News Charlotte Dining Guide Exhibits-in-Print Waterborne Alkyds Break Through the Performance Barrier New Matting Agents for Waterborne Coatings and Varnishes Silicon-Based Technology for the Coatings Industry High-Performance Microgrinding The Development of New SMA Esters as Pigment Dispersants for Waterborne Coatings and Inks The Right Choice New Coating Technology Expands Color Choices for Vinyl Building Products BioPreferred Federal Biobased Products-Preferred Procurement Program European Union's REACH Regulation Sustainability - The New Nano Improved Dirt Pickup Resistance Critical to Future Coating Innovation NanoNews Protective Coatings NDT - Energy-Saving Paint Static Electricity - The Hidden Danger in Hazardous Areas Wacker Chemie - A Profile of Success Materials Watch Products and Literature Classifieds Advertiser Index

Paint & Coatings Industry - May 2008

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