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Yes, UK’s REACH is in action. The UK has implemented its own version of the EU's REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation, known as UK REACH. UK REACH came into effect on January 1, 2021, following the UK's departure from the European Union.
The implementation of UK REACH means that companies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that manufacture or import a chemical substance into the UK market must register it with the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). They must also meet the same standards and requirements that were previously mandated through EU REACH.
The HSE evaluates the data submitted by companies and decides whether the substance is safe to use within UK legislation. It will also review decisions made by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), under the EU REACH regulation, for chemicals that were registered before the end of the Brexit transition period.
Therefore, UK REACH is currently in action in England, and the rest of the UK, in order to regulate the use of chemicals and protect human health and the environment from harmful impacts.
From 1 January 2021, the UK REACH regulation comes into force in Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland); this allows some compliance tasks to be carried out by companies based in Northern Ireland. Therefore, UK-based companies will need to comply with UK REACH registration obligations if they manufacture or import 1 tonne or more per year of substances subject to UK REACH registration requirements, as is or as part of mixtures. Manufacturers/ formulators not based in the UK can register their substances through the UK Only Representative.