Which chemicals are excluded from REACH?
Substances of low risks such as water, oxygen, noble gases and cellulose pulp are excluded from registration. Other substances occurring in nature such as minerals, ores and or concentrates as well as cement clinker are also not required to be registered as long as they are not chemically modified. There are also exemptions from large parts of REACH for substances in food and medicinal products because those are regulated in specific legislation. Waste is exempted from REACH and Member States may exempt substances used in the interests of defence.
If chemical substances used to manufacture other chemical substances are never separated from the mixture of other chemicals inside a closed system, they are fully exempt from REACH (non-isolated intermediates). Intermediates that are separated out during the production process (isolated intermediates) will have to be registered, but with simplified information requirements commensurate with their lower risk.
Polymers are for the time being also exempted from registration and evaluation. (However, its basic constituents, monomers, must be registered; the Commission may also introduce requirements for the registration of polymers once a practicable and cost-effective way of identifying dangerous polymers on the basis of sound technical and valid scientific criteria has been established).
