Avon Metals' Response to REACH

Operating in a manner that promotes health and well being of our employees, our communities and the environment is a core Value to Avon. We are committed to product safety and to compliance with our obligations under REACH. Avon operates both as a manufacturer and an importer in the European Union, and as such, have begun the following processes:

Avon has appointed our Quality Manager to spearhead our REACH requirements.

We are currently identifying all chemical substances that we manufacture, import or purchase within the European Union and intendsof pre-registering substances that it manufactures or imports in order to benefit from the transitional periods provided by the pre-registration under REACH. Following pre-registration, Avon will review all substances that it manufactures or imports and make a determination which substances will be subsequently registered.

Once this project is completed, Avon will be contacting customers and suppliers to better determine our requirements and needs under REACH.

Avon will check with our suppliers and any other party up the supply chain to establish their willingness to pre-register and subsequently register applicable substances to guarantee uninterrupted delivery of Avon products.

Avon will be contacting our customers to identify conditions of use for our products.

Avon has historically supplied Safety Data Sheets for products that pose Environmental, Health or Safety hazards during use. Where required, we intend to provide additional information on exposure scenarios and possible risk reduction measures related to the supplied substances for uses known to us. This information will ensure safe handling and use of our products.

If you have any question regarding Avon products and REACH please do not hesitate to contact us.

What is REACH?

Created by the European Union, REACH is the Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It came into force on 1st June 2007 to streamline and improve the former legislative framework on chemicals of EU. The aim of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances.

REACH places greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks that chemicals may pose to health and the environment. Manufacturers and importers will be required to identify and manage risks linked to the substances they handle. For substances produced or imported in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year per natural or legal person, manufacturers and importers, respectively, need to demonstrate that they have appropriately done so by means of a registration dossier, which shall be submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki.

The Regulation also calls for the progressive substitution of the most dangerous chemicals when suitable alternatives have been identified.

Additional information on REACH can be found at the following websites: -