While all eyes might be on the current UK and EU negotiations, the chemicals industry is keeping a close watch on how Brexit is going to affect the UK REACH regulations that are due to start on 1 January 2021.
According to Business Green, on 9 September the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) of MPs has welcomed the decision to extend the deadline for registration data to be submitted to the new UK REACH system.
When the UK REACH starts at the end of the Brexit transition period, it will be replacing the long-standing EU REACH scheme, which registers and manages the use of potentially harmful and hazardous chemicals throughout the EU.
The UK REACH scheme has been roundly criticised by campaigners and business groups, warning that duplicating the current EU REACH scheme will create administrative hurdles for UK chemical businesses.
Environmental campaigners have also questioned whether the UK scheme will be adequately resourced, given it will not have access to the European Chemicals Agency.
The government has stated that to exit all EU agencies, the departure from the EU REACH is necessary.
The EAC has already expressed concern that transferring registrations from the EU system to UK REACH would be complex and that businesses are concerned that the timeframe to collate and submit data is too short.
Last week, the government moved to extend the deadlines for registering information with UK REACH, from 180 to 300 days after 1 January 2021.
The full registration deadline has now Beene extended to two, four, and six years, subject to the levels of hazard risk, from the end of the initial 300 day period.
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