HELSINKI, Finland (Oct. 14, 2009)—EChA, the European Chemicals Agency charged with implementing the REACH legislation has said companies that use chemicals must notify their suppliers in writing how those chemicals are used by Nov. 30. The deadline applies only if the substance needs to be registered before Dec. 1, 2010.
EChA said downstream chemical users should inform suppliers about the use of a substance if the firm wants the supplier to consider the use in relation to its REACH—Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals—registration.
If rubber companies do not communicate the use and it is not covered by a supplier's Exposure Scenario, users eventually will need to prepare a Chemical Safety Assessment once the substance has been registered.