The REACH regulation (EC No 1907/2006) on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, entered into force on 1st June 2007. The main aims of REACH are to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals, the promotion of alternative test methods, the free circulation of substances on the internal market and enhancing competitiveness and innovation.
REACH introduces an obligation to register, with some exceptions, to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) chemical substances on their own or in preparations, which are manufactured in or imported into the EU/EEA in quantities above 1 MT/Y by any company in the EU/EEA. Failure to register will mean for a company that it is no longer allowed to manufacture the substance in or import it into the EU/EEA. No Reach - No market.
The timeline stated by the REACH regulation implies that EU-manufacturers/-importers must pre-register with ECHA each existing (so-called phase-in) substance, between 1 June and 1 December 2008. This will allow the companies to benefit from extended registration deadlines in 2010, 2013 or 2018, depending on the substance and its volume band.
EFP confirms that we know our obligations as a manufacturer and importer under REACH. We have pre-registrered and are in the process to register under REACH all phase-in substances of ferrosilicon, inoculants and nodularisers (MgFeSi), as well as by-products and rawmaterials, that require registration within the applicable deadline (Nov. 30. 2010, May 31. 2013 or May 31. 2018).
Current status
Elkem AS and/or affiliates have successfully submitted REACH dossiers for the following substances (products) with deadline in 2010:
| Substance |
EINECS No. |
Status |
| Silica fume |
273-761-1 |
Registration Completed |
| Si/FeSi silicate (slag) |
310-060-2 |
Registration Completed |
| Silicon |
231-130-8 |
Registration Completed |
| FeSi (reaction mass) |
912-631-7 |
Registration Completed |
| Calcium |
231-179-5 |
Registration Completed |
| Magnesium |
231-104-6 |
Registration Completed |
| Iron ore agglomerates |
265-996-3 |
Registration Completed |
Registration numbers and C&L notifications
In accordance with the REACH legislation, Elkem AS have registrered relevant substances also for legal entities owned by Elkem. For EFP this includes Elkem Bjølvefossen AS (BJO) and Elkem Iceland Ltd (EI), whereas Elkem Bremanger (BRE) is a part of Elkem AS and thereby the registration of Elkem AS. Substances subjected to later deadlines (tonnage bands below 1000 Mt/year) have been notified to
the Classification & Labelling Inventory (C&L notification). Applicable substances and reference numbers for EFP’s products are stated in "REACH registrations and C&L notifications of EFP" and will be included in shipping documents as well as PSI (se below).
Important message regarding Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and Product Safety Information (PSI)
In light of the implementation of the globally harmonised system for classification and labelling of chemicals (UN-GHS), the term MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is no longer used and has been substituted by SDS (Safety Data Sheet). According to REACH article 31(1), SDS is only required for hazard-classified substances. Since none of the products of Elkem Foundry are or contains substances that are hazard classified, SDS for these products is not legally required.
However, since our customers request health and safety information, Elkem will provide HSE information on the various sales products on a voluntary basis. Thi Product Safety Information (PSI) will contain the same information as given in authentic SDS, but compliance with REACH and CLP is not mandatory. Elkem is currently working on such PSI, but we will wait for the dissemination of our REACH dossier in order to include all ECHA comments in the final PSIs. For the time being, the present (M)SDS are valid and provide todays know-how on the particular product.
Hence, kindly refer to the SDS section of the Elkem Foundry website for applicable SDSs, which will be replaced by PSIs in the near future.
EFP have included the following intended uses for our substances (products):
- Deoxidation and alloying of steel melts
- Alloying of cast iron charges and melts (Iron foundries)
- Silicothermic reduction of precious metals (Cr, V, Mo) and others (Nb, W).
- Production of some inoculants and nodularisers by alloying (melting)
- High purity FeSi is used to produce high permeability steel for electric transformers.
- Production of FeSiMn, FeSiN and SiMn- alloys.
For more detailed information