REACH-Regulation
Summary for Customers on the European Union REACH Regulation(EC) No 1907/2006November 4, 2008
What is REACH? REACH is the abbreviation of Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals. Reach is a legislation, approved by the European Union that is designed to provide safety, health, environmental and use information about chemical substances to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). REACH requires manufacturers and importers to register chemical substances produced in or imported to the European Union market in excess of 1/to per year. REACH is the European manifestation of increasing worldwide concerns about the effect of human operations on society and the environment. Lamineries MATTHEY SA is committed to making our customers' transition into REACH as simple and straight-forward as possible for all of our products.

We have determined that our metal products, as mainly re-rolled in Switzerland and exported into the EU, are articles. This determination is based on the Guidance Document on Substances in Articles (see Guidance on requirements for substances in articles) classifying metals in massive or wrought form as articles.
According to this guidance document, substances in articles do not need to be registered unless a substance exceeds 1 metric tone per year per manufacturer or importer and the substance is intentionally released from the article. Normal processing of our products such as machining, grinding, welding, etc., as well as normal wear and tear are not considered as intentional releases.
It must be noted that if a metal product is in a form that is to be melted, such as ingots whose shape is materially changed, it is considered to be a substance (pure metal) or a preparation (alloy) whose constituents are subject to the requirements relative to Registration.
Here you will find the list of all the elements with their EC-Number and CAS-number used for the fabrication of the alloys that we deliver:
Element | EC-Number | CAS-Number | Element | EC-Number | CAS-Number |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hydrogen | 215-605-7 | 1333-74-0 | Rubidium | 231-126-6 | 7440-17-7 |
Beryllium | 231-150-7 | 7440-41-7 | Strontium | 231-133-4 | 7440-24-6 |
Boron | 231-151-2 | 7440-42-8 | Yttrium | 231-174-8 | 7440-65-5 |
Carbon | 231-153-3 | 7440-44-0 | Zirconium | 231-176-9 | 7440-67-7 |
Nitrogen | 231-783-9 | 7727-37-9 | Niobium | 231-113-5 | 7440-03-1 |
Oxygen | 231-956-9 | 7782-44-7 | Molybdenum | 231-107-2 | 7439-98-7 |
Fluorine | 231-954-8 | 7782-41-4 | Technetium | 231-136-0 | 7440-26-8 |
Sodium | 231-132-9 | 7440-23-5 | Ruthenium | 231-127-1 | 7440-18-8 |
Magnesium | 231-104-6 | 7439-95-4 | Rhodium | 231-125-0 | 7440-16-6 |
Aluminium | 231-072-3 | 7429-90-5 | Palladium | 231-115-6 | 7440-05-3 |
Silicon | 231-130-8 | 7440-21-3 | Silver | 231-131-3 | 7440-22-4 |
Phosphoreous | 231-768-7 | 7723-14-0 | Cadmium | 231-152-8 | 7440-43-9 |
Sulphur | 231-722-6 | 7704-34-9 | Indium | 231-180-0 | 7440-74-6 |
Chlorine | 231-959-5 | 7782-50-5 | Tin | 231-141-8 | 7440-31-5 |
Potassium | 231-119-8 | 7440-09-7 | Antimony | 231-146-5 | 7440-36-0 |
Calcium | 231-179-5 | 7440-70-2 | Tellurium | 236-813-4 | 13494-80-9 |
Scandium | 231-129-2 | 7440-20-2 | Barium | 231-149-1 | 7440-39-3 |
Titanium | 231-142-3 | 7440-32-6 | Lanthanum | 231-099-0 | 7439-91-0 |
Vanadium | 231-171-1 | 7440-62-2 | Cerium | 231-154-9 | 7440-45-1 |
Chromium | 231-157-5 | 7440-47-3 | Hafnium | 231-166-4 | 7440-58-6 |
Manganese | 231-105-1 | 7439-96-5 | Tantalum | 231-135-5 | 7440-25-7 |
Iron | 231-096-4 | 7439-89-6 | Tungsten | 231-143-9 | 7440-33-7 |
Cobalt | 231-158-0 | 7440-48-4 | Osmium | 231-114-0 | 7440-04-2 |
Nickel | 231-111-4 | 7440-02-0 | Iridium | 231-095-9 | 7439-88-5 |
Copper | 231-159-6 | 7440-50-8 | Gold | 231-165-9 | 7440-57-5 |
Zinc | 231-175-3 | 7440-66-6 | Mercury | 231-106-7 | 7439-97-6 |
Gallium | 231-163-8 | 7440-55-3 | Thallium | 231-138-1 | 7440-28-0 |
Germanium | 231-164-3 | 7440-56-4 | Lead | 231-100-4 | 7439-92-1 |
Arsenic | 231-148-6 | 7440-38-2 | Bismuth | 231-177-4 | 7440-69-9 |
Selenium | 231-957-4 | 7782-49-2 |
Substances of Very High Concern - (SVHC)
For articles containing a substance that is listed on the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the manufacturer or importer is required to inform the recipients of the article about the substance and how the article can be safely used if the listed substance is present in excess of 0.1 wt %. For Lamineries MATTHEY, as Exclusive distributor for Materion in Switzerland and Liechtenstein for copper beryllium and beryllium alloys, it is important to make it clear that beryllium is not listed on the first Candidate List.
Link to the the actual liste can be found on : echa.europa.eu
Our products do not contain any listed substances. If any of our products contain a listed substance, you will be informed and we will ensure that your use is included in the substance registration documentation. The purpose of authorization is to ensure that the risks posed by hazardous substances are properly controlled, or that substitution is made if economically and technically possible. The publication of the “Candidate List” is a first step in identifying substances that may require authorization for use.
The next step, which will be the subject of public debate, is to assess whether a substance on the Candidate List should be listed in Annex XIV.
Substances listed in Annex XIV will require authorization for each of their uses. Substances will be added to the Candidate List on a regular basis, and the priority for adding substances to Annex XIV will be reviewed every two years. The REACH Agency's authorization work is expected to involve some 25 substances of concern each year. Since the European Commission has decided that substances contained in articles are not subject to authorization, our customers purchasing articles will not be required to have authorizations unless they incorporate a substance presenting a risk in one of our products.
Based on our understanding of the priorities taken into account by member states in identifying substances requiring Authorization, we consider it unlikely that the substances contained in our metal products, notably lead or beryllium, will require Authorization for use. The above information is provided on the basis of current knowledge of REACH interpretations and guidance. Please note that new interpretations and guidance may modify this guidance document. We will endeavor to keep you informed of any future changes; however, those concerned by the implementation of REACH are strongly advised to consult the European Chemical Agency's website regularly.
Material safety data sheets (MSDS).
With the coming into force of the REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 on 1 June 2007 the 91/155/EEC directive (information in material safety data sheets) has been repealed. The REACH Regulation does not explicitly state any transition periods for the revision of material safety data sheets (MSDS). Until further notice, it is assumed that the previous MSDS, respecting the 91/155/EEC directive can still be delivered at least until the end of the first registration period on 30 November 2010.
Our MSDS will be progressively modified in order to respect the new regulation and we will provide our customers with the required MSDS in due time
REACH contact person.
If you have any questions regarding the information provided above, would like a copy of any of the documents described in this summary or wish to provide feedback, please contact Lamineries MATTHEY SA, Mr Aziz Ibizazene, Quality-Manager via phone at +41 32 752 32 45 or per e-mail.