• Home
• >  Actio Blog
• > REACH/CLP Helpdesks List is Now Updated

REACH/CLP Helpdesks List is Now Updated

The deadline for REACH registration is 30 November 2010 for the registration of high volume and potentially toxic substances.  Companies or their representatives must register by that date.  Today, the European Chemicals Agency or ECHA announced that the list of all National REACH/CLP Helpdesks has been updated.

National REACH/CLP helpdesk is a service established in every EU Member State for the advancement of REACH.  Helpdesks provide advice.  This advice is typically geared to companies and other stakeholders on the obligations they may have under REACH/CLP.  In most cases, helpdesks are located in national Competent Authorities. 

CLP, of course, stands for Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemicals and substances.

National REACH/CLP helpdesks provides wide-ranging information on the provisions of REACH/CLP. They can advise on responsibilities a company may have to fulfill under relevant Regulations.  Helpdesks will not, however, focus on providing tailor-made information on how those obligations should be met.  ECHA suggests you will be stonewalled on specific-instance queries such as:  "I import substance x, can you tell me what I should do with it?"

ECHA says that in most cases the national helpdesks should be the first point of contact for all enquirers seeking advice on REACH/CLP. However, bear in mind that the quickest way to get an answer might be the FAQ -- or Frequently Asked Questions -- database on the ECHA web site.  FAQs are always worth a browse as it's very likely that your question has been asked before; plus, it's often quicker than waiting for a European Helpdesk agent.

The national helpdesk does intend to provide the service in the local language(s) and has a good understanding of national conditions. In some cases the national helpdesk may also provide information on certain aspects of enforcement.

Help on REACH Right Now

For an overview and FAQ on REACH regulation, please see previous post on Ten Questions About REACH.  Companies are accelerating their efforts to gather the necessary data, reports ICIS.com.  Software solutions for REACH compliance can help some companies streamline operations and mitigate risk associated with chemical management in a product supply network.  Still, even if using software, it is important to have an understanding of the big picture.

The November 2010 cut-off, the first of the three major Reach Registration deadlines, covers dossiers for chemicals produced or imported in annual volumes of 1,000 tonnes or more. It also covers registration of substances which are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction and chemicals used in quantities above 100 tonnes per year that pose long term risks to aquatic organisms, as stated by the RSC.

REACH Completeness Check Results in Three Weeks

If a company submits a dossier before 1 October, they will get their Completeness Check result within 3 weeks; they will also have the time to re-submit if necessary.  Should they fail the second time, they can even start the process again -- provided they are able to make a new submission before 1 December.  Note: later submissions will have only one chance to successfully get through the entire registration process.

Show Me the Helpdesk!

The new, up-to-date list of helpdesks is here: http://echa.europa.eu/help/nationalhelp_contact_en.asp

REACH Registration: How It Works

Here's what happens in the next few months with REACH, behind the scenes: 

For dossiers that arrive after 30 September, there will be a "float" period.  This is likely to be about six months of uncertainty regarding the status of REACH registration. 

Behind the scenes of REACH, what will happen is:  ECHA examines the dossier on arrival, and, if the dossier is not complete, ECHA writes to the registrant before 1 March 2011.  Companies will then get a reasonable deadline (typically a further four months) to provide the information requested by ECHA.  If that information is not satisfactorily presented, then the registration has failed.  There is no second chance.  Failed means: the company does not receive a registration number and the substance cannot legally be manufactured or imported in the European Union – worse, any manufacturing or import since the registration deadline will have been illegal.

Submitting before the end of September will prevent companies being in an uncertain situation.  Uncertain situations are risky business in today's changing regulatory landscape; it's important to have compliance details settled so a business can move forward.  Please contact us for more information or for help, take a look at REACHtracker at http://www.reachtracker.com.