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Brexit implications for business – How to Comply with REACH Chemical Regulations

UK REACH, the UK’s independent chemicals regulatory framework, started on 1 January 2021.

This guidance sets out how to comply with the EU and UK REACH chemical regulations when using, making, selling or importing chemicals in the UK and in the EU. It has been updated to include access to the ‘Comply with UK REACH’ service.

Businesses which make, sell or distribute chemicals into Great Britain will need to follow the UK’s new domestic chemicals regulations including UK REACH. A new IT system has been developed to manage the UK’s chemicals industry which contributes some £11.2 billion GVA to the UK economy per year.

The ‘Comply with UK REACH’ system can be used by business to fulfil their transitional provisions and create new registrations. The new system enables the UK to make decisions on regulation of chemicals that are based on the best available scientific evidence, ensuring that chemicals remain safely used and managed.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “We have worked closely with industry and partners to develop the Comply with UK REACH IT system, which is fitting for our world-leading chemicals industry.

“Having our own independent chemicals regulatory framework will ensure that we make decisions that best reflect the UK’s needs while maintaining some of the highest chemicals standards in the world.”

Businesses will be able to use the Comply with UK REACH IT service to:

• Validate existing GB-held EU registrations (‘Grandfathering’);
• Submit downstream user import notifications (DUIN);
• Submit new substance registrations;
• Submit new product and process orientated research and development (PPORD) notifications.

Businesses will need to contact Health and Safety Executive to ensure that they:

• Validate existing UK-held product and process orientated research and development (PPORDs).
• Provide information on any authorisation matter, including new authorisation application, grandfathering of existing authorisations, and downstream user notifications of authorised uses.

Businesses based in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) will need to need to follow UK REACH regulations to manufacture, import, sell or distribute chemical substances or mixtures. The ‘Comply with UK REACH’ service can be used to:

• Transfer your EU REACH registration into UK REACH (also known as ‘grandfathering’) to continue having access to the GB market.
• Submit a new registration for a substance.
• Notify that you’re going to continue importing substances from the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) by submitting a Downstream User Import Notification (DUIN).
• Transfer your assets, such as registrations, to another legal entity.

The guidance sets out information on:

• Before you start;
• UK REACH for GB businesses;
• UK REACH for NI businesses;
• GB held registrations: ‘grandfathering’;
• EU held registrations: GB downstream users;
• Tonnage band deadlines;
• EU market access for GB business;
• Importing from the EU to GB;
• Joint registrations;
• Substance groups;
• Authorisation;