South African Mining Companies Briefed on REACH
August 2006 -- Hugo Waeterschoot, Secretary-General of the European Nickel Industry Association (ENIA), today briefed the South African minerals and mining industries on the European Union's new chemicals policy, REACH.
He explained that REACH is a new legal procedure that ensures that users know the hazards of materials they use in the workplace so that they can minimize the risks to human health and the environment. He outlined the principles upon which REACH is based and described the key elements of the legislation.
Since the exporters of nickel and nickel-containing products to the EU must comply by the regulations, Waeterschoot explained how this will affect companies in South Africa. He provided a timeline for implementation of the regulations and encouraged South African exporters to the EU to activate themselves so as to avoid being squeezed from the market.
He emphasized that the Nickel Institute has the resources to assist them in complying with REACH in a cost-effective manner.
A copy of the slide presentation is available here >>
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Hugo Waeterschoot
Secretary-General
European Nickel Industry Association (ENIA),
a division of the Nickel Institute
Brussels, Belgium
E-mail: hwaeterschoot@nickelinstitute.org
Tel: 32 2 290 3201.
