These are the ingredients of the EU chemicals policy

Many actors in the EU shape chemicals policy

We show the most important ones here. Companies that place chemicals on the market must register them with the European Chemicals Agency (a time-consuming and costly process. And, not the only one which requires a lot of care and attention. Companies Businesses need constant monitoring of the activities of the Member States and the Commission. Companies must comply with ECHA's requirements, activities and additional requirements. Registration is associated with high costs, especially for studies and dossier preparation.

ECHA

• The European Chemicals Agency ECHA, Helsinki, is the central contact for companies and member states,
• focuses on chemical regulation,
• manages the database of all chemicals registered in the EU,
• assesses registrations in terms of completeness and quality of data;
• The ECHA committees evaluate proposals for bans, applications for approval from companies and provide opinions.

EU commission

• develops strategies like the Green Deal,
• proposes new legislation,
• publishes action plans,
• makes decisions, such as bans on chemicals or extended requirements for their registration,
• and is responsible for EU trade policy.

The Member States

are important players in the implementation of chemical regulation,
evaluate chemicals in terms of risk,
make proposals for bans on certain chemicals,
interpret legal texts differently
and evaluate risks differently.

For example Mesamoll: dossier of a plasticizer

 Plasticizers make brittle materials flexible, so that they are easier to process or the end product has the right texture and feel. Some natural substances and a number of very different chemicals are suitable as plasticizers.

It is also possible without phthalates

 Many plasticizers with phthalates are considered to be extremely hazardous to health. Many of these are severely restricted or prohibited in the EU by REACH or other regulations. The reason: they can endanger procreation and unborn children. US authorities also ban these substances. The Mesamoll plasticizer from LANXESS is phthalate-free. It is used, for example, in water beds, bouncy castles and water balls. One advantage of Mesamoll is that it gels well, and can therefore be processed at lower temperatures, and in a shorter time than other plasticizers.

After the documentation is before the documentation

Mesamoll has been registered with ECHA since 2010 and is not classified as dangerous. In the registration dossier, companies have to prove that their products are safe. This includes: 

• studies,
• extensive information on the application,
• information on safe handling,protective clothing and first aid, instructions for storage, transportation and disposal as well for fire and leaks.

The costs of a registration

Depending on the amount of the chemical, the costs to register with ECHA will differ. Most LANXESS additives are produced in large quantities (more than 1,000 tons per year) for the world market. There can be almost 2.6 million Euros in registration costs per chemical, for example forcosts

• for studies: approx. 2.3 million euros,
• cost of preparing the dossier: up to EUR 250,000 and
• fees: approx. 25,000 Euros.