The European Union’s comprehensive chemical law, REACH, is finally starting to take effect, requiring manufacturers and importers of chemicals to begin registering their products with a new regulatory agency. The REACH law was heavily diluted between its first introduction and final passage due to heavy pressure from the chemical industry, but it’s still expected to have a big impact on the E.U. marketplace. Chemical manufacturers from around the world will eventually be forced to test their products for safety before selling them in the European Union. U.S. businesses are particularly miffed about the new regulatory requirements, saying they’re expensive and unduly burdensome. But many consumer advocates are thrilled about the potential impacts. “This is going to compel companies to be more responsible for their products than they have ever been,” said Daryl Ditz of the Center for International Environmental Law. “They’ll have to know more about the chemicals they make, what their products are, and where they go.”
