Safe management of product

For the safe management of the product, the Member States of the European Union have adopted the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Approval and Restriction of Chemicals (Regulation REACH (EC) No. 1907/2006), which was put into effect on July 1, 2007. One of the objectives of the Regulation is to record information on all chemicals used in the EU for their safe use, and for the gradual removal of the most dangerous ones from use.

The regulation requires companies to provide more information about the chemicals they produce and pass this information on to their consumers, thereby improving understanding and raising awareness of chemicals and their dangers.

Among other things, the regulation stipulated that all manufacturers, importers or other legal entities that trade substances in the EU territory must submit to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by the set deadline a registration file for each individual substance that they produce or import into the EU territory in a quantity greater than one ton per year. If the company does not register the substance, it must stop production/sale/import of the substance throughout the EU until it submits the registration file.

INA, d.d. has registered all of its substances, a total of 34 of them, thus fulfilling the obligation of the REACH Regulation and can smoothly produce substances and place them on the EU market.

Before placing chemicals on the market, the industry must classify, label and package them in accordance with the CLP Regulation. CLP is Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and the Council of December 16, 2008 and refers to the classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures and it amends, supplements and partially repeals Directive 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC and amended by the REACH Regulation.

The CLP Regulation ensures that the hazards posed by chemicals are clearly communicated to employees and consumers in the European Union through the classification and labeling of chemicals. Thanks to this process, the dangers of chemicals are communicated with standard labels (H – warning labels and P – notification labels), additional standard labels (EUH) and pictograms on product packaging and in safety data sheets.

With the entry into force of the REACH and CLP Regulations, the following are available:

• new knowledge about the dangers, exposure and risks of chemicals and measures for their control,
• better communication between users and suppliers,
• increased control over substances of concern by limiting their use or completely removing them from the European market and replacing them with safer alternatives.

The ultimate goal is to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals and prevent illnesses, injuries and accidents.

For information about the REACH and CLP Regulations, feel free to contact us at ReachINA@ina.hr.