{"id":1247,"date":"2011-03-21T06:07:34","date_gmt":"2011-03-21T11:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/nanotechnology\/?p=1247"},"modified":"2024-02-12T11:02:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T16:02:36","slug":"one-solid-step-for-reach-one-giant-leap-for-chemicals-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/health\/2011\/03\/21\/one-solid-step-for-reach-one-giant-leap-for-chemicals-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"One solid step for REACH, one giant leap for chemicals policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Allison Tracy <\/em>is a Chemicals Policy Fellow. Richard Denison, Ph.D.<\/em>, is a Senior Scientist. <\/em><\/p>\n

While efforts to improve U.S. chemical safety legislation have been at, shall we say, a stand-still for the past few months, our European counterparts have been buzzing with activity. \u00a0U.S. NGOs, industry, regulators and lawmakers should be paying really<\/em> close attention to all that buzz as they deliberate the shape of U.S. chemicals policy in the new Congress.<\/p>\n

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently in the thick of processing registrations received by the first major deadline under REACH, the European Union\u2019s chemicals regulation for the R<\/span>egistration, E<\/span>valuation, A<\/span>uthorization and Restriction of Ch<\/span>emicals. \u00a0November 30, 2010 was the first of three deadlines for registering existing chemicals (termed \u201cphase-in substances\u201d under REACH); it applied to the highest-volume and most hazardous chemicals on the market.\u00a0 Some 4,700 new and existing chemicals have now been registered under REACH since it took effect in mid-2008, including about 3,500 existing chemicals subject to that first deadline based on high volume or toxicity.<\/p>\n

In contrast to Las Vegas, what is happening in Europe is not staying in Europe.\u00a0 That alone makes it worth paying attention to.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

REACH\u2019s global reach<\/strong><\/p>\n

REACH affects not only chemicals made in the European Union, but also chemicals imported into the EU.\u00a0 But its effects are being felt even more broadly:\u00a0 REACH has contributed to the international momentum for chemical reform and a number of its core principles are going global, shaping or showing up in new policies and regulations in places as various as South Korea<\/a>, China<\/a> and Turkey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The emergence of such enhanced regulations across the globe means:<\/p>\n

(1) US chemical manufacturers and processors that operate globally are facing a vastly different market than they were a decade ago; and<\/p>\n

(2) it is becoming increasingly difficult for U.S. companies to reconcile radically different chemical management regimes at home and abroad \u2013 including how to address growing concerns by American and global customers and consumers that they may be placed at greater risk from hazardous chemicals in U.S.-made products compared to citizens and businesses of other nations \u2013 \u00a0\u201cglobal guinea pigs<\/a>\u201d!<\/p>\n

At a recent Senate hearing on TSCA reform<\/a>, American Chemistry Council (ACC) President Cal Dooley stated<\/a> that \u201cin some ways, \u2026 there’s always a myth here that REACH is a gold standard here. \u00a0Nobody knows how well it’s going to work yet.\u201d\u00a0 But that statement misses the point:\u00a0 However one views REACH on the merits, it is already changing the global face of chemicals management.\u00a0 We met with a senior official from Australia just recently who said they are already seeing an increase in the amount of data coming in with new chemicals notified to them, data that were clearly generated to comply with REACH requirements.<\/p>\n

Environmental Defense Fund\u2019s 2007 report Not That Innocent<\/em><\/a> compares legislative and regulatory frameworks in the U.S. and the EU, as well as Canada.\u00a0 Four key innovations advanced by REACH are apparent, and are already having an impact even this early in REACH implementation.\u00a0 REACH:<\/p>\n