Distributors and users of chemicals: REACH responsibilities

If you are a chemical user or distributor, you have responsibilities under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation. A retailer is considered a distributor.

What you must do

Selling and distributing chemicals

If you distribute or sell chemical substances or mixtures which contain hazardous substances you must pass information on to your customers so that they know what the hazards are.

You must provide professional users with a safety data sheet (SDS) if the substance is classified as hazardous.

The SDS gives information on how you should handle, store and dispose of chemicals and what to do in the case of an accident.

If you receive a material without an SDS, contact your supplier to find out whether or not they have to provide one.

If the substance needs to be pre-registered or registered under REACH, you must check this before you start to supply or distribute the substance.

  • In Scotland, if you are a distributor and import substances from outside the UK, you may need you may need to register substances under UK REACH
  • In Northern Ireland, if you import substances from outside the European Union, you must register under EU REACH through the European Chemicals Agency

HSE: UK REACH

HSENI: EU REACH guidance for distributors

Using chemicals

You are a chemical user if, as a part of your work, you use:

  • any chemicals, preparations or mixtures
  • chemicals to formulate or blend preparations or mixtures
  • any chemicals, preparations or mixtures to produce articles (finished products).

If you use a chemical substance you must make sure that you:

  • identify and follow all appropriate safety measures identified by the chemical's SDS
  • only use the substance in a way that is covered by exposure scenarios contained in the SDS
  • comply with any restrictions or conditions of authorisation that have been placed on its use.

You should check that your suppliers register all the ways you use the chemicals they supply. This is to make sure that your supply of chemicals will not be disrupted.

If you have an unusual use for a substance, you should provide your suppliers with details of how you intend to use the chemical. This will allow them to include this information in their registration.

If you choose not to disclose this information (for example, for commercial confidentiality), you must perform your own chemical safety assessment. You will typically need to provide this to:

  • The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under UK REACH, or
  • The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under EU REACH

HSE: UK REACH

ECHA: Chemical safety assessment

Inventory of chemicals

You should create an inventory or list of chemical substances that your business uses, supplies, manufactures or imports. This will help you to:

  • Understand your responsibilities
  • Determine what you need to do to comply, and
  • Assess how REACH (UK and EU) affects your business

Controls on supplying and using certain chemicals

Both UK and EU REACH place controls on the supply and use of certain chemical substances that cause harm to human health or to the environment.

If you supply or use a chemical substance, on its own, in preparations or mixtures or in articles, you must make sure that you meet any specific controls that apply to it.

See the page in this guideline: REACH - substances of very high concern and restricted chemicals.

Further information

 

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