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REACH and GHS, Compared and Contrasted By Ruth Mayo, Regulatory Compliance Specialist May 14, 2009

REACH, (the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) and GHS (Globally Harmonization System) are two separate but cohesive regulative bodies. Their scopes differ, but the objective for both is to create better protection from the hazards associated with chemicals. In previous regulatory articles, we discussed GHS. This edition will focus on REACH, who should be concerned with REACH, and how REACH will be affected by GHS.

REACH & GHS Compared While REACH and GHS have different scopes there are many essential links between the two regulations. REACH aims to produce information on hazards, risks, and Risk Management Measures (RMM) while GHS aims to harmonize the classification and labeling of materials. GHS is the system recommended by the United Nations (UN) that will be applied across multiple countries, including the European Union. REACH refers to classification criteria of the present European legislation established by the EU with the intention of replacing this with the new GHS regulation. REACH also introduces provisions on Safety Data Sheets based on GHS with a few additional REACH specialties. GHS is intended to be applied to the classification and labeling inventory and registration of substances under REACH beginning December 1, 2010. Substances will be phased-in the first three and a half years and

mixtures will be given an additional four and a half years for reclassification.

More About REACH The REACH Regulation (No 1907/2006) gives greater responsibility to industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on substances. Manufacturers and importers will be required to gather information on the properties of their substances and to register the information in a central database. The aim is to improve the protection of human health and the environment, through better and earlier identification of the properties of chemical substances. This Regulation became effective June 1, 2007 with the understanding that obligations will be applied in stages. It is predicted that all obligations will be enforced within 11 years from the effective date.