SABIC Europe achieves successful pre-registration under REACH

SABIC Europe has achieved pre-registration of an initial number of substances in order to comply with REACH. While the pre-registration phase has just begun, SABIC Europe has already started to pre-register substances within the framework of REACH. The current pre-registration REACH phase started on 1st June and will run until 1st December 2008. This list forms an initial number of the total number of substances that SABIC Europe will pre-register. On account of this pre-registration, SABIC Europe: - has the opportunity to herewith test the ICT systems the EC authorities have developed for REACH; - can begin to communicate with ECHA (European Chemicals Agency); - is able to test the communication in the pre-SIEF (Substances Information Exchange Forum); - can share its experiences with the members of existing consortia. The petrochemical products which SABIC produces on its sites in Europe as well as its imports from Saudi Arabia, are mainly 'high volume chemicals' which need to be addressed in the first stage of REACH. SABIC will have until 2010 to complete the huge task of preparing product dossiers for all its substances. A dedicated SABIC REACH Program Team has been formed to cover the majority of the competences that the regulation will require. SABIC is in the process of complying with REACH; it has all the processes in place to provide ECHA with high quality dossiers for all substances in the company portfolio, within the granted timeline. SABIC fully endorses the REACH objectives, which entirely match our EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) policy. Our key messages in relation to REACH are 'Caring, Sharing and Preparing'. As a responsible manufacturer and importer of chemicals, SABIC cares for the safety and health of people and the environment and compliance with REACH is seen merely as a logical step. Beyond meeting today's requirements, SABIC is also anticipating to answer the needs of future generations. SABIC will continue to proactively inform its customers and suppliers about the consequences of REACH with regard to its products. Cooperation with co-producers will continuously take place through consortia and industry associations. REACH is the new EU chemicals legislation, which came into force in June, 2007. REACH is the acronym for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals. The REACH legislation requires industry to register all existing and future new substances to a new European Chemicals Agency. REACH has the status of law and has been enforced in all 27 member states of the EU.