19th November 2008
Small businesses are being reminded to register any hazardous substances they work with by the 1 December.
Firms must record all hazardous substances they buy, sell or use under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals regulation (REACH).
Those that fail to do so by the 1 December could be forced to stop manufacturing and importing chemicals until they have registered.
The Health and Safety Executive said that REACH will impact most UK businesses in some way. However, despite pre-registration being launched on 1 June 2008, only 1,207 businesses had registered by mid-September.
Huw Irranca-Davis from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "Even if you only use chemicals to keep your machinery operating and your premises clean, or you import finished products, or if you receive substances containing chemicals through a supplier and use them in an unusual way – it's likely you'll need to take some action under REACH."
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) said that complying with the regulations could prove an "administrative nightmare" for small business owners.
FPB member Francis Pound, of a specialist chemical firm in Surrey said: "It's a complete nightmare because it's so complicated. It's taken us three months just to get to the stage where we can register.
"We have to write to all of our customers to ask what they do with the products we supply them with, and also to our own suppliers.
"This is going on through almost every industry sector – not just chemical producers but all through the supply chain. The costs are going to be vast."
Small businesses urged to register hazardous substances
Firms must record all hazardous substances they buy, sell or use under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals regulation (REACH).
Those that fail to do so by the 1 December could be forced to stop manufacturing and importing chemicals until they have registered.
The Health and Safety Executive said that REACH will impact most UK businesses in some way. However, despite pre-registration being launched on 1 June 2008, only 1,207 businesses had registered by mid-September.
Huw Irranca-Davis from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "Even if you only use chemicals to keep your machinery operating and your premises clean, or you import finished products, or if you receive substances containing chemicals through a supplier and use them in an unusual way – it's likely you'll need to take some action under REACH."
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) said that complying with the regulations could prove an "administrative nightmare" for small business owners.
FPB member Francis Pound, of a specialist chemical firm in Surrey said: "It's a complete nightmare because it's so complicated. It's taken us three months just to get to the stage where we can register.
"We have to write to all of our customers to ask what they do with the products we supply them with, and also to our own suppliers.
"This is going on through almost every industry sector – not just chemical producers but all through the supply chain. The costs are going to be vast."
Tags: Regulations
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