Citizens have access to hazard and safe-use information on chemical substances

All this information gathered from the registration dossiers submitted by companies to ECHA has been made available on ECHA´s website. Note that the number of registrations that echa has already received is less than 200. Because the deadlines for registrations for many thousands of chemicals are staggered over 11 years, it will be many years before the echa website contains information on all the chemicals which must be registered under REACH. However, this is an important step in the implementation of reach, and a noteworthy change in public access to information about chemicals on the european market.

You as a citizen represent the main user of this database. We warmly encourage you to send your feedback to the Agency on how this database is valuable, useful, understandable, etc to you. You can find the feedback form here

This database contains information only about the chemical substances manufactured or imported in Europe, such as:
 Hazard properties.
 Classification and labelling.
 How to use the chemicals safely.

It does not contain information about chemical preparations, formed by mixing together several chemical substances, nor about articles containing chemicals. In other words, you can find information about specific chemical substance, such as methanol or butene, but not for example about a shampoo, cleaning product or pencils.

This database will allow citizens and others:

 To make well informed decisions about the use of chemicals or about the use of chemicals in articles they purchase.
 To make informed decisions about the use of chemicals to which they may be exposed.
 To get the safety information about the chemical substances.

All this information was provided by companies who manufacture or import these substances. It will be regularly updated each time when additional information is received by the Agency.

Companies must tell you, at no charge, about harmful chemicals present in many consumer products, but ONLY if you ask. This "right to know" component of the legislation requires the manufacturer or retailer of a consumer product to provide a response to written questions in relation to chemicals on the official list of "Substances of Very High Concern", otherwise known as the "Candidate list", within a 45-day period.

To find out how to obtain this information, please, visit our "Use Your Right To Know!" section and read our leaflet entitled "Harmful chemicals in products you buy? Your right to know.” Both, website and the leaflet, are available in several languages.

More information:
 ECHA´s Press Release: "ECHA starts to publish information on safe use of chemicals for citizens"
 Questions and Answers about ECHA’s public database with information on registered substances