Written question asked by Nicholas Winterton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 12 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 October 2004. It was answered by Alun Michael (Labour) on Monday, 25 October 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what effect the EU Commission's Draft Regulation on Chemicals Policy will have on the manufacture and processing of polyurethane.

Answer: Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect the EU Commission's Draft Regulation on Chemicals Policy will have on the manufacture and processing of polyurethane. [191564] Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply. Polyurethane is a polymer and is therefore exempted from the registration and evaluation requirements under the current European Commission proposal for the new Chemicals Strategy REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals). This exemption may be amended by the Commission as soon as a practicable and cost-efficient way of selecting polymers for registration can be established on the basis of sound scientific criteria. Polymers may be subject to authorisation and restriction. The monomers used to manufacture polyurethane will be treated as substances and be subject to REACH if themselves manufactured or imported into the EU.

Secondary information