First sector use maps published

ECHA/NI/16/47

The European downstream user industry has now started to publish sectoral use maps to help manufacturers and importers of chemicals register their substances. The first use maps for the adhesive and sealant industry; soap, detergents and maintenance products; and cosmetics are now available in a use map library on ECHA’s website.

Helsinki, 11 November 2016 – The use maps have been developed by industry to enhance supply chain communication and improve the safe use of chemicals. Using a harmonised template, sectors representing downstream industry share with registrants how their companies use chemicals.  These use maps help registrants to improve the quality of their registrations, in particular their exposure scenarios.

In October 2016, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), the Downstream Users of Chemicals Co-ordination group (DUCC) and ECHA signed a joint statement where they committed to start encouraging the use of these maps in an effort to improve supply chain communication.

Currently, additional use maps are being prepared by sectors. Other downstream user sectors should also start preparing their use maps now. This would help in particular to make meaningful registrations by 2018, which is the final REACH registration deadline.

ECHA recommends that:

• Downstream users contact their sector organisation to make sure their uses are covered in the sector use maps.
• Registrants, follow ECHA’s use map web page and identify those sectors where your substances end up. Registrants should then use the information from the relevant use maps to prepare or improve their registration dossiers and the exposure scenarios they send down the supply chain.
• Sector organisations that have not yet started to prepare use maps should do so now. When doing so, they should learn from the experience of other organisations.

The Exchange Network on Exposure Scenarios (ENES) will discuss their experiences on generating and using the use maps.