implementREACH

Is REACH manageable ?

Industry long opposed REACH, claiming it would be costly and negatively affect the availability of raw materials. In essence that is true. Industry warned that job losses and reduced production would be the final consequence of REACH.

They foresee that even if a small number of chemical suppliers can not bear the registration costs, a domino effect will create significant impacts down the entire supply chain. This is because, downstream users such as electronics, textiles and chemical formulators, will be affected by increased costs of inputs and/or the need to replace substances which may no longer be available because they have become uneconomic to produce as a result of the REACH.

This scenario, however, is not very likely to actually happen. It assumes that companies all opt for the sit-and-wait approach. Now REACH is in place, we find that a lot of companies are taking the proactive approach instead.

Pro-active companies understand that REACH is not avoidable and requires long-term management attention. They believe they can do a lot themselves to reduce the REACH risks and costs their companies are confronted with.

Approaching REACH like this will make them less vulnerable to REACH, and as a side effect, it increases the robustness of the value chain they belong to!

Road towards REACH implementation

  1. List the relevant REACH obligations towards the Agency
  2. List the obligations towards suppliers and customers
  3. Identify supply chain and authorisation risks
  4. Identify possible opportunities
  5. Prioritise goals
  6. Translate high priority goals into milestones and tasks
  7. Get management approval and resources
  8. Inform key staff and start the project
  9. Perform proper data- & project management
  10. Audit and report
      > towards REACH services