Chemicals
RPA has established an excellent reputation in the fields of chemicals policy and chemicals risk management. This started with the development of risk reduction strategies under the Existing Substances Regulation (ESR) on behalf of the UK and other European Governments, and progressed into the analysis of the socio-economic advantages and drawbacks of legislation on the control of risks from chemicals to human health and the environment on behalf of the European Commission. Our teams also prepared a landmark guidance document on the application of socio-economic analysis to chemical risk management issues on behalf of the OECD.
In the 2000s, the REACH Regulation revolutionised the way chemical risks management is undertaken in the EU, but has also created an environment for similar legislative frameworks to develop in other global regions. We have been involved in REACH from its conception, by undertaking the main Business Impact Assessment for both DG Enterprise and DG Environment on the then draft Regulation, and continued into the development of Guidance documents for the implementation of REACH. RPA experts have also undertaken subsequent studies on the potential impacts of the REACH Regulation for EU trade organisations, including Eurocommerce (wholesalers and retailers) and COLIPA (the cosmetics sector), and for private sector companies.
Since the early 2000s, we have also been involved in the formative stages of various pieces of other highly significant environmental legislation including the Water Framework Directive and the Biocidal Products Directive. More recently, and now that implementation is a reality, we are actively working on several aspects of REACH, mainly Authorisation and Restriction, and the development of guidance and methodology for a range of clients, within both the private and public sector. However, as the REACH regulation incorporates several requirements for the Commission to review progress and impacts and also consider the need for revisions to the requirements (for example in relation to 1-10t substances), our work for the Commission in relation to the refinement of REACH continues.
In addition to this work, we are closely involved in ongoing work on the need for (and development of) regulation in relation to the safety of nanomaterials.
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