REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It is an EU regulation that aims to protect human health and the environment from chemical risks. It covers all chemical substances, including those used in industrial processes and everyday products such as cleaning items, paints, clothes, furniture, and electrical appliances. This impacts most EU companies, as they are responsible for proving compliance and managing substance risks. Authorities can restrict substance use if risks cannot be managed, and in the long term, hazardous substances should be replaced with safer alternatives. REACH came into force on 1 June 2007.
