Sue Bullock and Richard Bishop of TSG Consulting highlight priority areas for comment following analysis of the UK REACH consultation on the proposed model for registering chemicals manufactured in or imported to Great Britain*

The UK government has begun a consultation period with chemical suppliers, downstream users and other stakeholders on a planned alternative transitional registration model (ATRm) for the implementation of UK REACH. This follows many months of analysis by ministries and agencies and will run to 11 July, one week after a General Election that appears certain to see a change of government.

Following consultation with stakeholders over the summer, the UK Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has decided to extend the deadline for registering substances with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under UK REACH, the legislation that replaces EU REACH, by three years. This is subject to consultation with devolved governments in Scotland and Wales. As a result, the new deadlines will be:

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that it has committed to “exploring alternative arrangements for UK REACH transitional registrations … in order to support chemical businesses whilst upholding the highest standards to safeguard public health and the environment”.

A key deadline for UK REACH is coming this month. Andrew Warmington reports from ChemUK 2021

Not surprisingly, UK REACH was one of the big topics at the panel discussions and individual presentations given at the ChemUK show, which took place at the NEC near Birmingham on 15-16 September. UK REACH came into force on 1 January, the day after the UK left the EU.

In a letter to government ministers that has been seen by the Financial Times, 25 industry leaders have called for “a more proportionate, effective and efficient” post-Brexit chemical regulatory regime in the UK. The writers are understood to be from multiple trade associations, including the Chemical Industries Association (CIA), though this has not been confirmed.

The UK government has extended the deadline for chemicals companies to register their products with the new ‘UK REACH’ system from up to two years to up to six, depending on tonnage and hazard. The new system will come into force on 1 January, following the Brexit transition period.