Chemicals: REACH rules and restrictions
If you deal with restricted chemicals there’s a range of rules and restrictions you need to follow.
Some chemicals are particularly harmful to people’s health and the environment. These are restricted under the ‘Registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) regulation’.
A chemical restriction may:
- control the supply of a chemical and/or how it can be used
- apply to all, or just particular uses
- impose concentration limits, or ban an activity entirely
- apply to pure substances, or limit concentrations allowed in mixtures
Full list of chemical substances restricted by Annex XVII to REACH Regulation.
Restricted chemicals offences
If a substance or mixture contains a chemical that is listed in Annex XVII of REACH which is either banned entirely, or the permissible concentration limit is breached, it’s a criminal offence to:
- supply or use it, either at all or for a restricted purpose
- cause someone else not to comply with a restriction
If you commit one of these offences you could face enforcement action, including prosecution.
Restricted chemicals
The Environment Agency runs campaigns on high priority chemicals that are a concern for UK businesses. Information and guidance from some of our campaigns is available below for:
- mercury and its compounds
- nonylphenol and its ethoxylates
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Mercury and its compounds
The marketing and use of mercury and mercury compounds is restricted.
The restrictions apply to:
- measuring devices containing mercury such as thermometers and barometers
- electrical switches
- batteries
- fluorescent tubes
- pesticides
- pigments and dyes
- wood/leather preservatives
You must not supply any measuring device containing restricted mercury.
To find out if a measuring device contains mercury:
- check the packaging label and product information
- ask your supplier
If a device is covered by the restriction then it can’t be placed on the market for supply to the general public. Further restrictions for professional and industrial purposes will come into force in April 2014.
Exemptions apply to devices that were already in use in the EU before April 2009, or which were more than 50 years old in October 2007.
Guidance on marketing and use of mercury and its compounds is in ‘Mercury in measuring devices’.
Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates
The supply and use of nonylphenol and its ethoxylates as substances or mixtures are restricted in:
- industrial and domestic cleaning
- processing textiles and leather
- emulsifiers in agricultural teat dips
- metal working
- pulp and paper manufacturing
- cosmetic and personal care products
- pesticides and biocides
If your company supplies or uses substances for these products or activities, you must make sure you comply with the restrictions.
To find out what chemicals a substance or mixture contains you should:
- check the label on the packaging
- refer to the safety sheet from your supplier
- speak to your supplier
- send a sample to a laboratory for analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
The level of PAHs in new tyres, re-treads and the extender oils used to make them is restricted.
Tyres and retreads manufactured before 1 January 2010 are not affected by this restriction.
Only eight PAHs are covered by the REACH restriction. These are:
- Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)
- Benzo[e]pyrene (BeP)
- Benzo[a]anthracene (BaA)
- Chrysen (CHR)
- Benzo[b]fluoroanthene (BbFA)
- Benzo[j]fluoroanthene (BjFA)
- Benzo[k]fluoroanthene (BkFA)
- Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DBAhA)
Extender oils can’t be supplied or used to produce tyres if they contain more than:
- 1mg/kg of BaP
- 10mg/kg of the total of all restricted PAHs
Read ‘PAH restrictions and how to comply with them part 1’ for lists of affected PAHs and restricted product types.
Information to check if your business is complaint with the PAHs restrictions ‘PAH restrictions and how to comply with them part 2’.
The PAHs REACH restriction changed in December 2013. Any rubber or plastic items can no longer be supplied to the general public that:
- come into regular direct contact with the human skin or mouth
- and contain more than 1 mg/kg of the PAHs listed above
The same restriction applies to toys and childcare items, but the PAHs limit is 0.5 mg/kg.
Further information
Email the Environment Agency’s Chemical compliance team at chemicalrestrictions@environment-agency.gov.uk
Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Centre 03708 506 506
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