Archives

June 28, 2024

Defra Consults on Proposal to Amend UK REACH Use and Exposure Information Requirements

On May 16, 2024, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) began a public consultation on the UK government’s proposals to amend the current transitional provisions under UK REACH for submitting registration information to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Defra, following an in-depth analysis of the current UK REACH requirements and working with the HSE and the Environment Agency (EA), has devised an Alternative Transitional Registration model...
November 13, 2023

Defra Publishes Policy Paper on UK REACH Alternative Transitional Registration Model

On November 9, 2023, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a policy paper on a UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) alternative transitional registration model (ATRm). According to Defra, in response to concerns raised by the chemicals industry about the significant cost to businesses of accessing European Union (EU) data packages to support UK REACH transitional registrations, Defra has been exploring options with the...
July 12, 2023

UK REACH Amended to Extend Registration Deadlines

On June 28, 2023, Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), signed the REACH (Amendment) Regulations 2023, extending the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registration deadlines. The Explanatory Memorandum states that the amendment extends the current legislative deadlines for registrants to submit information to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under UK REACH. It also...
June 12, 2023

HSE Recommends Restricting Hazardous Substances in Tattoo and Permanent Makeup Inks

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced on June 8, 2023, that it is recommending the restriction of hazardous substances in ink used for tattooing and permanent makeup (PMU) in Great Britain (GB). HSE states that the proposed restriction would target substances classified for carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, skin sensitization, skin corrosion, and serious eye damage. HSE proposes concentration limits of substances in tattoo ink and PMU based on those established in...
December 6, 2022

Defra Will Propose Legislation to Extend UK REACH Deadlines for Three Years

As reported in our July 18, 2022, memorandum, in July 2022, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) began a public consultation on extending the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) submission deadlines for transitional registrations — the registrations under UK REACH of substances that were registered in the European Union (EU) in accordance with EU REACH on or before December 31, 2020, the end of the Brexit transition...
July 28, 2022

DEFRA Calls for Evidence on Amending UK REACH Authorization List

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published two calls for evidence on amending Annex 14 of UK REACH to include the following substances: Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP); and Disodium octaborate. In December 2021, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommended which substances of very high concern (SVHC) are a priority for inclusion in Annex 14. Following HSE’s recommendation, the appropriate authorities (Defra Secretary of State, Scottish and Welsh ministers)...
July 12, 2022

Defra Publishes Rationale for UK REACH Work Programme Priorities in 2022/23

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently published the UK REACH Work Programme 2022/23. The work programme sets out the activity that HSE, supported by the Environment Agency and other relevant agencies, will carry out to operate UK REACH. To complement the publication of the work programme, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the rationale used for identifying particular substances for potential regulatory action under UK REACH in 2022 to...
May 10, 2022

HSE Begins Public Consultations on First Restriction Dossiers under UK REACH

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The United Kingdom (UK) Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced on May 6, 2022, the beginning of a six-month public consultation on restriction proposals on lead in ammunition and substances in tattoo inks and permanent make-up (PMU). According to its press release, HSE proposed the restriction on lead in ammunition after identifying there is an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment that is not adequately...