Environment

REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals for the protection of human health and the environment.

REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals. In this context, the term chemicals is very broadly defined and, with few exceptions, includes all substances such as metals, cross-linking chemicals and solvents that are manufactured in or imported into the EU. Under the REACH regulation that entered into force on June 1, 2007, and immediately applied to all EU member states, these substances must be registered within set transitional periods at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki created for this purpose. To do this, comprehensive data on issues such as toxicity to humans, danger to the environment and the safe use of the substance must be collected in reports and submitted to ECHA. A substantial portion of the substances delivered to Continental had to be registered by December 1, 2010. Dangerous substances require an additional detailed risk assessment for the entire life cycle of the substance.

The REACH list defines selected substances of very high concern (SVHC) that can exist in chemicals or finished products. The REACH regulation stipulates a reporting obligation for the supply chain if such substances are present. At a later time, SVHCs can be either banned or permitted (authorized) for certain uses only. The list of these substances is constantly reviewed and expanded by the EU.

The aim of the REACH regulation is to improve the protection of human health and the environment while maintaining competitiveness and enhancing innovative capability of the EU chemicals industry.

Significance for Continental
The REACH regulation is relevant to both the Rubber Group and the Automotive Group at Continental, since both units use chemicals in their manufacturing processes and the REACH provisions on SVHCs apply to finished products as well.

REACH requirements pertaining to registration are directed primarily at manufacturers and importers who bring chemicals onto EU markets. They must register their substances if the amount exceeds one tonne per year. To ensure the future availability of raw materials, consumables and supplies important to Continental, we check whether our suppliers fulfill their registration obligations. Unregistered substances can no longer be purchased. Some suppliers, especially those outside the EU, had to be thoroughly educated on the new regulation.

Information on the use of the substances is a key element of the registration. These exposure scenarios must prove the safe use of the substance from its manufacture, its use in production, during use of the products and their recycling when they are no longer usable. Information on the industrial or commercial users of these substances must also be contributed and forwarded to the producer registering the substance. Trade associations have therefore developed standardized descriptions of exposure conditions and corresponding risk minimization measures.

Last but not least, Continental itself imports substances into the EU. In these cases, the manufacturers register the substance through "Only Representatives" (ORs), most of whom are advisory offices headquartered in the EU which carry out all tasks related to registration.

Although goods (commonly called articles or products) do not fall under REACH with regard to registration, Continental demands that suppliers confirm that all substances in the supply chain are registered so it can safeguard its own production. For example, a plastic component or a circuit board does not need to be registered, but the basic materials used to manufacture them probably do. As a company, we also aim to ensure that all the third party products we buy in the future are safe and of the same level of quality.

Substances of very high concern affect Continental directly. Due to the ongoing expansion of the list of SVHC substances, manufactured products from all our business units are checked for the presence of SVHCs. If they are detected, different materials are used instead.

REACH project team established
A project team was set up consisting of representatives from hazardous substances management, purchasing, research and development, and environmental protection. Key suppliers were surveyed regarding the pre-registration of their products. REACH coordinators were appointed for the corporation as well as for the Rubber and Automotive Groups. Local REACH coordinators with responsibility for decentralized procurement processes were also determined.

Continuous implementation at Continental
We constantly review European legislation on chemicals and identify the resulting obligations for the Continental Corporation. We also monitor the list of candidates for substances of very high concern (SVHCs) and lists of authorized and prohibited substances. We immediately inform the business units concerned, who in turn release REACH information to their customers in line with the requirements. We have been systematically recording these substances in computer databases for years, which has proven to be especially effective. Information about automotive industry customers is captured automatically in the International Material Data System (IMDS). We also monitor the registration activities of our suppliers to ensure the continuous delivery of raw materials or to develop alternatives if needed. The computer solutions we have installed for this are an important tool to safeguard our production and also allow us to provide online access to comprehensive information for all those involved with the Continental Corporation.

As soon as safety data sheets containing the exposure scenarios are available, the locations concerned must be able to prove within 12 months that the substances are used safely. To estimate human and environmental exposure using model calculations (if possible) and to be able to minimize the expenses for specific measurements, calculation tools are currently being tested and presented to the environmental officers and occupational health and safety officers of the locations.

Thanks to the measures introduced, internal processes and set responsibilities, we have ensured that Continental's supply of raw materials will remain secure even after the last registration deadline in 2018 has expired.

REACH regulation timeline

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