The idea behind the new REACH regulation on handling chemicals is to ensure a high degree of protection for human health and the environment and to transfer the responsibility for the safety of chemicals to the chemical industry. The REACH system will compile data on all substances produced or imported in amounts exceeding one metric ton per year. An estimated number of 30,000 existing market-relevant substances in the EU will have to be registered within eleven years from the introduction of the REACH Regulation depending on their volume band.

The goal of REACH is perfectly in line with the fundamental principles of the Business Line Active Oxygens and the implementation of such programs as Product Stewardship and Responsible Care.

Within the Active Oxygens group, hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid for non-biocidal applications are affected. These products must be registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, Helsinki) by submitting a registration dossier. The Active Oxygens group is about to take the necessary steps to secure the future production and marketing of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid products, which means in the beginning to start with the pre-registration.

A special project team has been put in charge of this implementation process, to bundle the activities and coordinate the necessary data and information for pre-registration and/or registration.

With regards to biocidal applications of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid, Evonik has been actively pursuing already the registration of these products according to the European Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC (BPD) over the last couple of years. This process for hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid products for biocidal applications is not yet completed. Once these products and their biocidal uses are listed in Annex I of the BPD, they are considered to be already registered under REACH. Therefore, it is not necessary after successful completion of the BPD process to again register biocidal applications under REACH.