Dear Reader,
the European Union’s REACH Regulation places high responsibility for chemicals management on industries. This includes small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the chemicals using sectors, which frequently lack the knowledge, skills and funds to find alternative substances. SMEs from the Baltic States are acting on a very small market and in a society that is mostly unaware about the risks for environment and human health from hazardous chemicals in production processes and products.
With our project LIFE/Fit for REACH we want to support Baltic SMEs to face the current and future challenges of chemicals management among others posed by the REACH Regulation. We want to help them to understand chemicals management better and how to meet the restrictions of tomorrow. LIFE/Fit for REACH offers the SMEs a full “chemicals management package”, including proposals on how to implement substitution as a core action to reduce environmental impacts. We also want to provide support in communicating this good environmental performance to the society.
This website is particularly designed for SMEs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – therefore the sections in national language are more comprehensive and detailed in information than the English version. We provide practical information for the SMEs about legislation, chemicals management issues and substitution cases. We also provide them with easy-to-use electronic tools e.g. for assessing their input substances. This website shall itself function as supporting tool for the SMEs and provide them with earmarked information which they support them in implementing REACH and other (chemicals-related) legislation correctly and timely.
With the website we want to communicate our project to an international audience of competent authorities, experts & consultants and European/regional policy networks; we seek for international cooperation and want to disseminate and replicate out experience, outputs and findings. Please, do not hesitate to contact us – the project team of LIFE/Fit for REACH.
Heidrun Fammler
Project Manager