Regulatory Compliance > NONS Background Information

Legislation of chemicals in the EU is currently undergoing radical changes with the introduction of REACH, which entered into force in June 2007. Under the previous system, a distinction was made between 'new' and 'existing' chemicals. An inventory of existing substances, EINECS (European INventory of Existing Commercial Substances), which can be found here, lists all substances which were on the EU market between 1 January 1971 and 18 September 1981. Substances not listed in EINECS which were placed on the market (either manufactured or imported) in quantities greater than 10 kg per annum had to be notified to the Competent Authority of the relevant country - in the UK, the Environment Agency and HSE.

The NONS regulations will be revoked on 1st August 2008, but any substance notified up until that time will be considered as 'registered' at the relevant tonnage level under REACH. If a higher tonnage level is reached, the registration will require updating.

Further information can be obtained from the websites of the European Chemicals Bureau (http://ecb.jrc.it/new-chemicals/) or the Health and Safety Executive in the UK
(http://www.hse.gov.uk/nons/index.htm).

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