REACH

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Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation (and Restriction) of Chemicals

Our members strive to continually to ensure that Steel for Packaging is manufactured in a sustainable and compliant way.

REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation (and Restriction) of Chemicals. It is a wide ranging and far-reaching EU chemicals regulation that aims to ensure the protection of human health and the environment from the use of chemicals, while ensuring good functioning of the EU internal market.

Hexavalent chromium substances, that are used globally for the passivation1 of steel for packaging, have been identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and listed in REACH Annex XIV as subject to Authorisation in Europe. This means that their continued use is subject to a time limited approval, with the aim to ensure that the use of these substances is completely replaced.

All our members have all successfully completed the REACH Authorisation process for the use of chromium trioxide and sodium dichromate in the passivation of electrolytic tinplate (ETP) and the manufacture of electrolytic chromium coated steel (ECCS).

Which means that European steel for packaging manufacturing remains assured during the transition to our Chromium-Free Passivation Alternative (CFPA), an innovative, alternative technology developed by APEAL members as a replacement to the use of hexavalent chromium substances.

1 Passivation is the process by which the growth of tin oxide is controlled on tinplate.
For more information on CFPA