Companies that fail to pre-register the chemicals they manufacture or import will have to cease supplying them from Monday.

Companies that fail to pre-register the chemicals they manufacture or import will have to cease supplying them from Monday, according to a legal specialist.

Peter Snaith, head of chemicals at law firm Dickinson Dees, says companies must complete the first stage of the registration process, known as pre-registration, via the website of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by Sunday.

Says Snaith, ‘If you don’t hit the deadline, you effectively have to stop importing or manufacturing until you’ve been through the full registration process. You are subject to fines if you don’t stop, unless you can find some legal loophole.’

Snaith adds that some companies have teams working through the night to pre-register each of the chemicals they supply, while others may not even be aware of the legislation.

Once companies have pre-registered, they will need to submit fuller information about each of their products within a set deadline.

Snaith says the legislation could put pressure on small to medium-sized businesses, which will have to commit significant resources to fulfilling its requirements.

‘Effectively, it’s a sledgehammer to crack a nut,’ he argues. ‘There are 32,000 chemicals manufactured or imported in the EU and every single one has to be registered, whether it’s a harmless natural substance like eucalyptus oil or a highly toxic carcinogen.’