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REACH Registration, REACH Authorisation, REACH/CLP Screening, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Biocidal products (BPR), Cosmetics safety, RoHS, WEEE, Safety Data Sheets, PCN and UFI services and more…
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The Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) is a comprehensive framework developed by the European Commission to address the challenges posed by hazardous chemicals and promote sustainable chemical management practices within the European Union. It aims to protect human health and the environment by minimizing the risks associated with chemical substances throughout their lifecycle, from production to disposal. The CSS emphasizes the phase-out of the most harmful chemicals, the promotion of safer alternatives, and the adoption of a circular economy approach to chemical production and use. It also advocates for increased transparency, innovation, and collaboration among stakeholders to achieve its objectives. Through regulatory measures, market incentives, and international cooperation, the CSS seeks to create a safer and more sustainable future for Europe and its citizens.
The Commission presented the announced strategy on 14 October 2020. It is based on 5 strands of action:
• Innovating for Safe and Sustainable EU Chemicals: This strategy involves developing EU criteria for safe and sustainable chemicals, introducing legal requirements for substances of concern in products, and promoting the use of safer chemicals by EU industry through amendments to industrial emissions legislation.
• Strengthening the EU Legal Framework: This strategy focuses on protecting consumers and workers from harmful chemicals, addressing issues such as endocrine disruptors and PFAS, and tackling chemical pollution in the natural environment.
• S implifying and Consolidating the Legal Framework: Measures include streamlining hazard/risk assessments across chemical legislation, enhancing governance of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and revising REACH authorization and restriction processes.
• Building a Comprehensive Knowledge Base on Chemicals: This strategy aims to establish an early warning and action system for chemicals, monitor emerging chemical risks, and create indicators to assess the effectiveness of chemicals legislation.
• Setting the Example for Global Chemicals Management: Actions include supporting capacity-building in third countries for chemicals assessment and management and ensuring that hazardous chemicals banned in the EU are not produced for export.
The Council endorsed the strategy on 15 March 2021, supporting the five main areas of action. It emphasized the importance of clear legal provisions in EU product law and welcomed the ‘one substance, one assessment’ approach. The Council stressed the need to eliminate PFAS unless essential to society and to strengthen the legal framework for endocrine disruptors. ENVI discussed progress in strategy implementation on 16 May 2022, highlighting steps like the publication of a restrictions roadmap and a recommendation on safe and sustainable chemicals. A PFAS restriction proposal under REACH is currently being evaluated by ECHA.
Legal revisions
• Revision of EU legislation on hazard classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (CLP)
• Revision of EU rules on food contact materials
• Revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive
• Sustainable Product Initiative
Implementation – European Commission (europa.eu)
Chemicals Management: https://ekotox.eu/chemicals-management/
REACH Conference 2024: https://ekotoxtraining.com/events/reach-conference-2024/
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