Source: SPECIALIST PRINTING WORLDWIDE : ISSUE 3: 2010
Elaine Campling describes the implications of REACH and how differentparts of the world are reacting to reform of chemical management
The Second Helsinki Global Chemicals Forum took place in May of this year, with significant focus on global chemical regulation and a discussion on whether REACH can become the new global model. A step in the direction of chemical regulatory partnership was taken in the same week, when the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and Canada’s regulatory counterparts signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ on safe chemical management to facilitate cooperation between the two regulatory authorities.
Discussion is also reported to be ongoing between ECHA and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the possibility of a partnership between these two regulatory authorities. These initial partnerships may eventually lead to multi-lateral agreement or a global regulation on chemical management, which has in theory been achieved in regard to classification and labelling, with the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). GHS evolved as a mandate from the 1992 United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and
Development, which took place in Rio de Janeiro and became known as the Rio or Earth Summit.