SGS, the global leader in testing and certification services, together with ENVIRON, a leading international environmental consultancy and manager of the industry-led substances declarations web database http://www.BOMcheck.net, will be hosting a free webinar on the Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation’s Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), and the challenges to be expected from the new Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive known as RoHS2. CE Marking requirements and proposed new substance restrictions will also be discussed.

Entitled “REACH SVHC and RoHS2 Challenges and Solutions,” the webinar will be held on January 26, 2010, Tuesday, and will start at 04:00pm CET. It will provide essential information on how companies can adopt cost-effective approaches in order to achieve REACH and RoHS2 compliance, particularly following the announcement by ECHA yesterday that 15 new SVHCs will be added to the REACH Candidate List in January. The webinar will also summarize the REACH substance restrictions and explain how the SVHC notification requirements in Article 7(2) and Article 66 apply to hardware products. Practical solutions will also be highlighted, including how analytical services and data management tools can assist leading equipment manufacturers and suppliers in meeting today’s legal challenges. This can be achieved by sharing:

• A single list of restricted and declarable substances for regulatory compliance (REACH, RoHS, etc.)
• One web database system to reduce costs for suppliers and improve data quality

The key issues to be covered in the webinar are:

• Timelines for RoHS2 implementation and current draft documents from the European Parliament Environment Committee, European Council, and European Commission
• RoHS2 CE marking requirements and proposed substance restrictions
• New SVHCs on the REACH Candidate List that can be found in hardware products
• Industry-led substances declarations web database and shared list of restricted and declarable substances
• Risk assessment and chemical testing processes for REACH SVHC and REACH restricted substances

Enacted in 2006, the European Union’s REACH Regulation requires the registration of chemicals and the communication to consumers regarding products containing substances from the Candidate List Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). Under REACH, any consumer has the right to request information on whether any specific product contains over 0.1% by weight of any of the SVHCs. The supplier is required by law to communicate this information to the consumer within forty-five (45) days.

Starting June 2009, the REACH Regulation also restricts the use of certain substances in hardware products. The EU’s RoHS Directive also restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Registration for the webinar is free. Learn more about the REACH SVHC and RoHS2 Challenges and Solutions Webinar.

Contacts

For further information about the webinar, please contact:

• Caroline Chilton, ENVIRON European Marketing Executive, +44 1225 748420, cchilton [at] uk [dot] environcorp [dot] com (email)
• Silke Hilmer, SGS Global Marketing Manager Consumer Testing Services E&E, +49 40 30101 287, email

About ENVIRON

A leading international consultancy, ENVIRON partners with clients to assess and manage the potential environmental, energy, and health issues associated with their activities and products. Whether responding to existing challenges or seeking strategies to prevent future liabilities, clients around the world benefit from their blend of universally high technical skills and knowledge of local requirements and practices.

About SGS (http://www.sgs.com)

The SGS Group is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878, SGS is recognized as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With more than 56,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world.