CBA calls for REACH pre-registration extension
The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has called for the European Commission to extend the REACH pre-registration period due to late availability and on-line registration errors.
The Chemical Business Association (CBA) has called for the European Commission to extend the REACH pre-registration period due to late availability and on-line registration errors.
According to the CBA, the REACH-IT online process for pre-registering bulk substances was six weeks late in becoming available, a factor which has significantly reduced the six month registration period.
In addition, the CBA says there have been numerous IT problems, with the system timing out registrants. It says the processing time for bulk pre-registration is currently taking several days with applicants having to wait up to eight hours to be informed of errors in registration.
“Complex IT systems always encounter problems and REACH has been no exception. However as around 70% of all pre-registrations use the bulk pre-registration process, the inability of this system to function effectively will have a serious impact on the industry,” says Melvyn White, chairman of the CBA’s REACH task force. “In the worst case, substances which are not pre-registered by 1 December, 2008 will have to be removed from the market until the full REACH registration process can be completed. This could result in a major disruption in the operation of the chemical supply chain and impact the European economy in already uncertain times.”