UK REACH: substance evaluation
Substance evaluation aims to clarify if the manufacture and/or use of a substance or groups of substances could pose a risk to human health or the environment. HSE will work with the Environment Agency to evaluate a substance or group of substances where a potential concern has been identified.
Substances evaluated
Risk-based criteria are used to prioritise substances for evaluation, with those selected included in the rolling action plan (RAP).
Selection is based upon:
- their hazard profile
- their exposure potential
- the quantities that are supplied
Our approach to substance selection seeks to complement rather than replicate evaluation work that has been or will be performed by other regulatory regimes. This aims to increase the overall understanding of the hazard and risk profile of priority substances and their relevance to GB.
Read more about how substances are prioritised for substance evaluation in our approach to substance evaluation in UK REACH[35].
Evaluation process
All registrations covering the same substance or group of substances will be assessed during an evaluation. Other relevant sources of information will also be considered. Evaluations may be targeted to specific hazards or uses, but the initial reason for including a substance on the RAP does not limit the scope of the evaluation.
The evaluation will determine if a conclusion on the concern can be drawn from the available data. If it cannot, we can require that the registrants provide additional information to clarify the concern.
After evaluation
If the evaluation concludes that there are risks requiring control, additional measures may be introduced. These can include:
- risk management measures under UK REACH, including a restriction[36] or SVHC identification[37]
- action such as mandatory classification and labelling[38] under GB CLP
Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOAs) will be used to determine the appropriate course of action in GB where necessary.