With more chemicals management regulations than ever, communication throughout the supply chain is imperative
Safety Data Sheets are the primary communication tool in the supply chain, offering information about hazardous substances in products together with safety measures. However, this communication tool is not sufficient for non-hazard related issues (e.g. uses or tonnages). This is the case for REACH in Europe and K-REACH in South Korea. When looking into the marketability of a product, companies need to have far more information other than just the hazardous properties. GHS functions as a globally established classification and labelling system but more is needed.
Chemical substances and mixtures are often used for the production of articles, however, they are not the focus of chemical regulations. There are some obligations under certain regulations for specific product types, such as RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) or the Toy Directive in Europe. In addition, Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH) in Europe also takes articles into account. However, as a general rule, there are not always established procedures for the fulfilment of all obligations.
Therefore, it is essential to have a more broad knowledge of all materials used in the production of a final product as well as a system for data collection and documentation.