REACH is a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to protect human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. A central pillar of this regulation is the management of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). These are chemicals that may have serious and often irreversible effects on human health and the environment, such as those that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction, or persistent in the environment.
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, the UK REACH regime was established to replicate the EU system. This means that businesses operating in Great Britain must comply with the UK-specific Candidate List and restrictions, while those trading with Northern Ireland or the EU must simultaneously adhere to EU REACH.
At Enviropass, we provide the dual-market expertise needed to navigate this "split" regulatory landscape, ensuring your "articles" (finished products) and "mixtures" (liquids/powders) remain compliant regardless of where they are sold.
REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals. It is the primary chemical regulation in the UK and EU.
A Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) is a chemical that has been identified as having serious risks. These are placed on the "Candidate List" for eventual phase-out or strict control.
UK REACH is the domestic legislation for Great Britain. EU REACH applies to the European Union and Northern Ireland. While they are currently very similar, they are managed by different authorities (HSE vs. ECHA) and may diverge over time.
Under Article 33, you must provide your customers with enough information to use the product safely, including at least the name of the substance.
No. REACH allows for a "documentary approach" where you gather information from your suppliers. Lab testing is usually reserved for high-risk components or when supplier data is unavailable.
Typically twice a year, usually in January and June/July.
It is an EU-wide database for information on SVHCs in articles. If you sell into the EU and your product contains an SVHC >0.1%, you must submit a dossier to ECHA.
Yes. REACH applies to all companies in the supply chain, regardless of their size.
SVHCs require communication and notification. Restricted substances (Annex XVII) are often banned entirely or limited to very low levels in specific products.
Enforcement authorities (like the HSE in the UK) can issue improvement notices, fines, or require you to remove products from the market.
Yes. Many chemicals (like lead or certain phthalates) are regulated by both, but the rules and thresholds differ.
Yes. Packaging is considered an article itself and must be compliant independently of the product inside.
An SDS is a document provided with chemical mixtures (like cleaning products or glues) that provides safety information. Under REACH, these must be in a specific format.
If you import more than one tonne of a chemical substance per year, you may have registration obligations under REACH.
An OR is a person or company based in the UK/EU who takes on the REACH responsibilities for a non-UK/EU manufacturer.
Usually, no. You need a specific declaration that mentions the current Candidate List version and addresses the 0.1% threshold per component.
Yes. Recycled materials must meet the same safety standards as virgin materials.
This is a list of substances that cannot be used after a certain "sunset date" unless a specific authorization is granted.
Mixtures (like liquids or powders) have different rules, primarily focused on Registration and the provision of Safety Data Sheets.
Yes, this is a standard part of our initial scoping service.
The Candidate List is just one part of the REACH regulation, but it is the part that most often affects manufacturers of finished goods.
You should keep them for at least 10 years after you last placed the product on the market.
Contact Enviropass today with your product list or Bill of Materials, and we will guide you through the next steps.
