CBA submits proposal for “workable” UK REACH

London - The UK-based Chemical Business Association (CBA) has proposed a solution “that will make UK REACH workable” by solving the crucial issue of access to testing data.

The proposal, according to CBA, will ensure that UK companies have "continued frictionless access" to the EU market post-Brexit, and vice-versa.

The CBA's proposal focuses on European Substance Information Exchange Forums (SIEFs), which currently hold the most of the chemical-test data supporting EU REACH registrations

The association has, therefore, suggested that SIEF be allowed to submit a full registration dossier to the UK authority Health & Safety Executive (HSE), free of charge.

This would apply equally to lead registrants and SIEFs, whether they are based in the EU or the UK, CBA said in a statement issued 24 June.

“Our proposal solves two problems simultaneously,” explained Peter Newport, CBA’s chief executive.

“Companies registering substances under UK REACH, almost all of which do not own or have access to testing data, can rely on the same testing data that supports their EU REACH registrations," Newport said .

The proposal also means that the IT system’s data-content underpinning both the UK and EU regulatory systems are identical. This, therefore, would ensure continued and consistent chemicals safety.

According to Newport, if the approach is adopted, the UK should be able to complete the registrations for the substances within the two-year timescale proposed by the government.

“This timescale is impractical without adopting a solution of this kind,” he concluded.

UK companies manufacturing or importing chemicals from the EU will have to register those chemicals to a new UK regulatory system, in case of a no-deal Brexit.

UK REACH will replace EU REACH following the UK’s departure from the EU, scheduled for end of October.

The UK department for the environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) is considering the CBA’s proposal.