K-REACH Bringing Sweeping Changes in June 2017

摘要

Commonly called K-REACH, the South Korean Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances became effective Jan. 1, 2015. The new law was the product of a strong disagreement between the South Korean Legislature and the relevant regulators, led by the Ministry of Environment (MOE). At that time, MOE had drafted a version of K-REACH regulations that were closely aligned with European Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). The legislature rejected this approach, intending a much stricter system of controls and evaluations. The present form of K-REACH embodies a variety of concepts that seem to borrow from various jurisdictions.