REACH adopted in Norway

From 30 May 2008, the REACH chemicals legislation enters into force in Norway.

- This is an improvement for Norway as well as Europe. With REACH, industry must demonstrate the safety of their products, a duty they have not had so far, says Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim.

The new REACH legislation will improve the protection of human health and the environment, in particular through improved knowledge about hazardous chemicals. Industry must document the safety of their products. This is achieved through registration of chemical substances. The use of substances of very high concern has to be authorized at the European level.  A new chemicals Bureau (ECHA) in Helsinki will have central role in implementing REACH.

Chemical substances may be further evaluated by national authorities, and Norway aims to participate actively.
- Norway will make an active contribution under REACH, and advocate a stricter regulation of ecological toxins and other hazardous chemicals, says Solheim.

Norway has actively promoted the development of chemicals legislation as ambitious as possible. REACH has also received much attention outside Europe, because the EU is the world’s leading chemicals producing region.
- REACH sets a global standard that the rest of the world needs to take into account. Therefore, this will also contribute to improved chemicals management in the rest of the world, says Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim.

The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority is the competent authority for the REACH regulation, see Norwegian guidance on REACH.