Print industry could be in bREACH of EU legislation

Published on Tue 1 Apr 2008

The print industry risks having its supply chain cut off if it falls foul of a new European Union law called REACH, reports printweek.com.

The REACH legislation involves the authorisation and control of chemicals. According to the regulation all manufacturers must register the chemicals they or risk those chemicals being banned from industrial use.

Richard Hawkins, chemical policy advisor at the Environment Agency (EA), told printweek.com:

"Basically, printers need to ensure that the suppliers of the substances they use have taken REACH into account... If a printer imports a substance that is not regulated for use by REACH and is restricted in its use, then [legal] action could be taken."

"Printers have to be aware that they need to take this seriously.

"Especially the people that use dyes and inks; these are significant users of chemicals. They need to go back to their suppliers and ask if, as far as REACH is concerned, are these chemicals compliant?"