UK REACH Chemical Compliance

UK REACH regulates the manufacture, import, and use of chemicals in Great Britain. If you manufacture or import 1 tonne or more per year of a chemical substance, you must register it with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

UK REACH Chemical Registration

Registration requirements for chemical substances under UK REACH administered by HSE

UK REACH regulator: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Minimum registration threshold: 1 tonne per year manufactured or imported
Tonnage band 2: 10 tonnes per year
Tonnage band 3: 100 tonnes per year
Tonnage band 4: 1,000+ tonnes per year
Grandfathering deadline (1-10 tonnes): 27 October 2025
Grandfathering deadline (1-100 tonnes): 27 October 2026
Registration fee (1-10 tonnes): Approximately £1,000-£2,000
Registration fee (10-100 tonnes): Approximately £3,000-£5,000
Registration fee (100-1000 tonnes): Approximately £10,000-£15,000
Registration fee (>1000 tonnes): £25,000+
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to £20,000 and/or imprisonment
Data sharing obligation: Mandatory for same substance via SIEF or consortium

Register Chemicals Under UK REACH

Step-by-step process for registering chemical substances with HSE

Step 1: Determine your role: Identify if you are a manufacturer, importer or downstream user of chemical substances in GB.
Step 2: Calculate annual tonnage: Determine annual tonnage per substance (1T, 10T, 100T, or 1000+T per year thresholds).
Step 3: Check grandfathering status: If registered under EU REACH before Brexit, check grandfathering deadline (27 Oct 2025 for 1-10T, 27 Oct 2026 for 1-100T).
Step 4: Create REACH IT account: Register on HSE UK REACH IT portal at hse.gov.uk/reach.
Step 5: Prepare registration dossier: Compile substance identity (IUPAC, CAS number), tonnage data, classification and labelling, safe use information, technical data.
Step 6: Submit registration and pay fee: Submit dossier via REACH IT and pay fee based on tonnage band (£1,000-£25,000+).
Step 7: Receive registration number: HSE assesses dossier and issues registration number if approved.
Step 8: Update safety data sheets: Add UK REACH registration number to SDS Section 1.1 before supplying to customers.
Step 9: Submit annual tonnage updates: Report actual tonnages manufactured or imported each year.

Penalties for UK REACH Non-Compliance

Enforcement penalties for breaching UK REACH

Manufacturing/importing unregistered substance: Unlimited fine
Failing to provide safety data sheet: Unlimited fine
Providing false information: Unlimited fine + up to 2 years imprisonment
Obstruction of enforcement: Fine up to £5,000
Enforcing authority: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Requirements

Requirements for creating and providing safety data sheets

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be provided for hazardous substances and mixtures. The SDS must follow the 16-section format specified in UK REACH Annex II.

Format: 16 sections as per UK REACH Annex II
Language: English for UK supply
Updates required: When new information becomes available
Retention period: 10 years after last supply
Must include: Hazard identification, composition, first aid, firefighting, handling, exposure controls, physical/chemical properties, stability, toxicology, ecology, disposal, transport, regulatory, other information

UK REACH vs EU REACH

UK REACH is separate from EU REACH following Brexit. Businesses must register separately with HSE for the GB market. Substances already registered under EU REACH need separate UK registration ('grandfathering' has transitional deadlines).

Legal basis

Primary legislation

Secondary legislation

REACH etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

SI 2019

UK-wide
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

SI 2016

UK-wide
- s.22 Revocation of an environmental permit: general duty
- s.24 Notification of the surrender of an environmental permit duty
- s.30 Variation of an environmental permit: revocation of standard rules duty
- s.32 Discharge of functions duty
- s.33 Direction to a regulator: discharge of functions by a different regulator duty

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UK REACH Chemical Compliance

UK REACH vs EU REACH

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UK REACH vs EU REACH

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