ISOPA (Brussels / Belgium; www.isopa.org), the European association of diisocyanate and polyol producers, in conjunction with the European aliphatic isocyanates producers association, ALIPA (Brussels / Belgium; www.alipa.org), has published what it says is an easy to digest 17-page e-booklet, “Successfully navigating REACH – A guide to the restriction process applying to diisocyanates”, to help the companies through the pertinent regulations applying to its products. As the grouping points out, the new regulations will impose important restrictions on the way these products can be handled in the single market in future.

The booklet with links to resources shows how REACH applies to isocyanates. Along with answering questions about chemical make-up, production, product stewardship and markets, it explains how to comply with the future regulations in regard to correctly identifying and managing risks. Under REACH, the use of isocyanates above a certain level of exposure is being considered for restriction, due to concerns about occupational health, in particular occupational asthma. Substances containing more than 0.1wt% of free diisocyanate are to be prohibited, unless a company can prove it has an internal system in place to eliminate health risks – from spray foam applications, for example.

As proof of compliance, certification is required. Germany’s REACH authority, Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA, Dortmund; www.baua.de), has drawn up a restriction dossier detailing the procedures to be applied across the EU. The Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic committees of ECHA (Helsinki / Finland; http://echa.europa.eu), the European chemicals agency that administrates REACH, are due to publish their opinions on the dossier shortly, followed by a public consultation expected to begin in March. The European Commission will then have three months to prepare the restrictions.

e-Service:
ISOPA/ALIPA e-booklet "Successfully navigating REACH" as a pdf file