ChemSec Business Group meeting in Stockholm
Work shop on REACH implementation and ways to prepare for Authorisation
2008 is the year that EUs new REACH-body will become operational. The newly established European Chemicals Agency, ECHA, will start its work in June 2008, with pre-registration at the top of its agenda. In addition, the Authorisation process will start to develop, with the setting up of an inventory of Substances of Very High Concern for which companies will need a special authorisation for manufacture and use.
In the long run, identification of a substance as a Substance of Very High Concern will encourage businesses to move away from the substance and start looking for alternative, sustainable long-term solutions.
Pro-active companies are already now starting to prepare for Authorisation. Especially companies close to consumers and end-users are looking at ways to be ahead of developments, seeking to avoid ingredients that consumers might not want to see in their products and that authorities will be restrictive in approving for use.
On 11-12 December, ChemSec organised a work shop with its Business Group to discuss these and related chemicals matters. The always relevant challenges the companies face in their in supply chain management was discussed as well as problems, solutions and ways forward surrounding Substitution of hazardous chemicals.
The meeting was held at the Stockholm headquarters of the Swedish Water and wastewater operators, Svenskt Vatten, members of Eureau and hosted by Mr. Anders Finnson.
A given topic for discussion was the REACH NGO Priority List of Substances of Very High Concern being developed under the stewardship ChemSec (see relevant articles on ChemSec’s Listproject) and the possibility for an input of the Business Group into the project.
Also, an up-coming ChemSec Substitution Conference, planned for the second quarter of 2008, was discussed. The Business Group, with a focus on producers of consumer goods, discussed preferred structure and content of such a conference, as well as ways to provide an input through case-studies and sharing of best practices.
Companies taking part in the work shop were Dell, Boots the Chemist, Skanska, Basta, Eureau, Sony Ericsson, H&M, IKEA, Electrolux, B&Q, Sara Lee and L’Oreal.
For more on the meeting or on how ChemSec works with progressive business, please contact Nardono Nimpuno.
