REACH
EFCA has produced an INFORMATION DOCUMENT – ADMIXTURES AND REACH which details the REACH processes and both available to download
or from our Publications page.REACH Guidelines are also available from our French ( http://www.synad.fr/ ) and German ( http://www.deutsche-bauchemie.com ) National Associations.
What is REACH?
With the objective of protecting human health and the environment, REACH is a European regulation designed to ensure the safe supply and use of chemical substances. Industry itself becomes legally responsible for managing the risk of chemicals.
REACH means the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Under it, three categories of product are identified:
- substances – single chemicals
- preparations – mixtures of substances
- articles – where substances are contained in objects
All chemical substances which are not exempted from registration in annex IV or V of REACH have to be registered with the new European Chemicals Agency. Registration requires manufacturers and importers of substances to submit information in a standardised format to demonstrate that they know about the most important properties of their chemicals, and that they are managing the hazards and risks adequately. Neither preparations nor articles have to be registered, though safety data sheets (SDSs) may be necessary if they meet the classification criteria as dangerous.
Special requirements apply to ‘Substances of very high concern’ (SVHC), which require specific authorisation by the Chemicals Agency. To minimise any risk in the use of chemicals, REACH attaches great importance to communication of information up and down the supply chain:
- safety data sheets for both substances and preparations are used to communicate information down the supply chain. REACH has set out a standard format for SDSs.
- users of chemicals have to make sure that their suppliers, up the supply chain, are aware of how the chemicals are being used.
How does the admixture industry comply with REACH?
- admixture producers will ensure that all substances they use are registered, and that their suppliers comply properly with REACH requirements;
- they will ensure that their own use of chemicals is in compliance with suppliers’ Safety Data Sheets;
- they will communicate information both upstream to suppliers of raw materials, and downstream, to customers;
- upstream, they will provide their suppliers with information on how they use substances and preparations, so that suppliers’ advice on ‘exposure scenarios’ and on the use of the substance is comprehensive, and, in particular, includes the ways in which the concrete producer actually makes use of the chemical. A series of Use Reports (UseR) is available to aid communication upstream – see below;
- downstream they will continue to provide SDS for their own customers, with details of the sensible measures needed to ensure safe use of concrete on site;
- they will also communicate necessary information to their own employees to ensure safe practice.
Most admixtures will be classified as preparations under REACH and admixture producers will be downstream users.
Use Reports (UseR)
EFCA and Deutsche Bauchemie eV have co-operated to produce a series of USE REPORT TABLES (UseR) for ADMIXTURES using the same format as the formulation and end-use of Construction Chemicals.
The Use Reports “UseR-CC” are intended to primarily fulfil two tasks:
Serve as a source of information for substance manufacturers and importers, who want to prepare exposure scenarios for substances intended for use in the construction chemical industry.
Serve as a source of information for formulators of construction chemical products, who want to inform their suppliers “in REACH speak” about their uses. The tables also support formulators of construction chemical products in the structuring of raw materials used and products manufactured.
The tables provide descriptions of standard uses in the construction chemical industry. They were developed according to the system and format named “UseR”, which was agreed at European level.
To cover the formulation of the preparation and the end-use of ADMIXTURE PREPARATIONS it is necessary to combine one at least of the formulation/synthesis scenarios UseR-CC-1-1, UseR-CC-1-2 or UseRCC-2 with the relevant end-use scenarios UseR-CC-5-1 / UseR-CC 6-1 (professional) or UseR-CC-7 / UseR-CC-8 (consumer), ie:
| Closed System | Open System | Indoor | Outdoor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formulation | CC-2 | CC-1 | ||
| Professional Use | CC-5-1 (with spraying) | CC-6-1 (with spraying) | ||
| Professional Use | CC-5-2 (without spraying) | CC-6-2 (without spraying) | ||
| Consumer Use | CC-7 | CC-8 |