New EU chemicals agency opens in Helsinki

Replacing 40 different chemicals laws with just one overarching EU-wide system – this is the challenge facing the new European chemicals agency as it gets down to work. The agency will be responsible for implementing the legal framework (REACH) designed to ensure that chemicals are used responsibly and don't harm the consumer or the environment. The agency is to compile a complete register detailing the characteristics of all chemical substances produced in or imported into Europe – providing previously unavailable high-quality information.