REACH
Mineral fertilizers come under the scope of REACH, the European Union Regulation 1907/2006 on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, the EU’s instrument for managing the risks presented by chemical substances for human health and the environment.
REACH Regulation is by far the most complex and advanced piece of chemical legislation developed by the European Union aiming to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment.
Fertilizers Europe is an Accredited Stakeholder Organisation within the European Chemicals Agency ECHA. The cooperation between ECHA and its Stakeholders aims to contribute to an efficient flow of information about the chemical legislation and implementation of REACH regulation.
Fertilizers Europe acknowledges the importance of accurate, complete and clear information on the hazards, exposures, risks and conditions of safe use of mineral fertilizers. Therefore, the industry is actively cooperating with ECHA and the European Commission to identify areas for improvement in order to ensure continuing compliance with the requirements of REACH.
One of the tangible outcomes of the cooperation is the development of Fertilizer Use Map (FUM) package, including a FEE Tool (Fertilizers Environmental Exposure) which allows to assess quantitative exposure scenarios for fertilizer constituents in various environmental compartments (soil, water, sediments). To that aim, Fertilizers Europe developed “REACH for Fertilizers” platform, a dedicated website providing all relevant information for users of fertilizers. On this website, you can read about how and where fertilizers are used.
Furthermore, a specific Fertilizers Environmental Exposure (FEE) tool for the environmental exposure assessment, taking into account the local scenario for direct emissions to soil and surface water, is developed by Fertilizers Europe in cooperation with ARCHE Consulting.