Eurobrief May 2009

The European Commission has been given the green light to update how chemicals are tested to ensure they comply with REACH regulations.

The cement sector is concerned that the alternative list of substances of very high concern, released by the European Trade Union Congress (ETUC) in March 2009, will cause confusion and hinder the effective assessment of substances.

Funding levels for the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) need to be urgently reviewed, says the Chemical Business Association (CBA).

A joint REACH enforcement project, entitled REACH-ENFORCE-1, has been launched. National inspectors will be involved in checking pre-registrations and registrations for substances and SDS.