Recovering chemical substances from waste
What you must do
Waste recovery and the REACH Regulations
If your waste recovery activities involve the manufacture, import or use any chemical substances, preparations or articles you must comply with the UK REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation.
To find out about REACH after Brexit, read the guidance from the HSE.
UK REACH aims to protect human health and the environment through the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemical substances.
If you make a product from waste by recovering a chemical substance in quantities of one tonne per year or more, the UK REACH Regulations may apply to you.
If your business deals with waste without producing any chemical substances from it, then the UK REACH regulations are unlikely to apply to you.
The UK REACH Competent Authority is hosted by the Health and safety Executive (HSE).
Registration
If you recover chemical substances from waste in quantities of one tonne or more per calendar year and the substance is not exempt, you must register it with the UK REACH competent authority.
UK REACH: Guidance on registration
If your recycled substance is not a waste and you are unsure if it is covered by REACH, contact the UK REACH competent authority helpdesk.
If you are not sure whether your substance is a waste contact your environmental regulator.
Contact your environmental regulator
SEPA: Is it waste? (Adobe PDF - 51KB)
UK REACH: Guidance for new registrations
Substance Information Exchange Fora (SIEFs)
Under REACH, Substance Information Exchange Fora (SIEFs) are created so businesses that have pre-registered the same chemical can share information. You will be able to use SIEFs to make joint registrations. You are automatically added to a SIEF when you pre-register.
ECHA: Information on chemicals
Further information
UK Reach competent authority: REACH & substances recovered from waste (Adobe PDF - 100KB)
For further information about REACH visit the UK REACH competent authority's website, or contact them by email: