REACH and sustainable chemistry

Sustainable chemistry contributes to a positive development in society, environment and economy.Click to enlarge
Sustainable chemistry contributes to a positive development in society, environment and economy.
Source: Dragan Smiljkovic / Gettyimages

The European chemicals regulation REACH is intended to contribute to a more sustainable chemistry. A current UBA report provides a systematic analysis on the relations between main elements of REACH (e.g. Registration or Information in the supply chain) and main elements of sustainable chemistry (e.g. substitution of hazardous substances or corporate social responsibility of companies).

This report is part of the departmental research plan project "Further development of ⁠REACH⁠", which, based on analyses of various REACH processes and related issues (substitution, sustainable chemistry, precautionary principle, articles, cost-benefit analyses, socio-economic analyses, ECHA financing), developed options for improving the (implementation of the) REACH Regulation.

The main goal of work package in the project “Advancing REACH” has been the development of recommendations how REACH can support sustainable chemistry stronger as it does actually.

From data on problematic properties of chemicals up to information for consumers on substances of very high concern (SVHC) in articles: REACH supports already today sustainable chemistry in many ways. The report describes 12 recommendations for a stronger support of sustainable chemistry by REACH: from a higher efficiency of REACH processes up to an increase in exchange and capacity building.