REACH Regulation

The REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) is a comprehensive EU law that impacts nearly every industry, including machinery manufacturing. Unlike RoHS, which bans specific substances in electronics, REACH applies to all chemicals in all products ("articles").

For North American machinery exporters, the primary obligation revolves to the "Candidate List" of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). If any component in your machine (e.g., a rubber seal, a brass fitting, or a plastic handle) contains an SVHC in a concentration above 0.1% by weight, you have a legal duty to communicate this to your customers. This ensures safe use and disposal.

Compliance is not about banning these substances entirely but about transparency. You must collect Supplier Declarations to screen for common machinery SVHCs like lead in alloys or phthalates in cables. This data must be retained in your Technical File to prove that you have met your "Right to Know" obligations upon Placing on the Market.