The EU’s new chemical legislation programme (REACH) means that all chemicals that are manufactured or imported must be registered. If there is a risk that a substance constitutes a threat to people and the environment, an assessment is required, and in some cases also a permit for its use. 

For Nynas all registrations, over twenty substances in total, must be complete by 2010. It is also important to communicate with suppliers and customers before then in order to satisfy the requirements of this legislation and also to find out which substances, if any, will have to be replaced. It is a wide-ranging task requiring major resources, but at the same time it means that we will have a comprehensive picture of which substances are being used, including their risks to health and the environment.   

A significant part of the task of drawing up information about each substance takes place by means of industry collaboration. This takes place primarily within CONCAWE, the European oil companies’ organisation for the environment, health and safety.  

More information from Nynas

• Easy-to-read list of Identified Uses, November 2009
• Nynas and REACH, Identified Uses, November 2009
• Nynas and REACH, update November 2008
• Nynas customers and REACH, April 2008
• REACH – a status report from Nynas, April 2008

More information on the internet

• European Chemicals Agency
• Concawe – the oil companies’ European organisation for environment, health and safety in refining and distribution
• Eurobitume - European Bitumen Association