Contact person
Anna Jacobs
Centrumledare för Substitutionscentrum
Contact Anna
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What does the law say about chemicals in products and processes?
What legislation applies to my products? Which laws regulate chemical content in goods? Where can I find more information? The questions may seem endless, but the Swedish Center of Substitution can help you to navigate them.
Swedish legislation pertaining to chemicals is based on the EU legislation and includes EU regulations and EU directives. EU regulations apply directly in all member states without having to be transposed into national law.)
The scope of the EU’s REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) essentially extends to all substances. Among other things, the legislation dictates that anyone who markets a product must have control over its chemical content and work systematically to phase out particularly hazardous chemicals.
Other examples of EU regulations include the CLP Regulation, which harmonises the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures, and regulations pertaining to pesticides and plant protection products.
EU directives, unlike EU regulations, do not automatically apply in the member states but must be transposed into Swedish laws or regulations. Swedish legislation pertaining to chemicals is incorporated in the Swedish Environmental Code and is supplemented with regulations that clarify the law as it applies to different areas.
What laws apply to your company?
The specific laws and regulations that apply to a particular company depend on the company’s role in the supply chain, such as manufacturer, distributor, importer or end-user. A company can have multiple roles and thus be subject to multiple regulations. It also depends on the types of products and goods the company sells. Specific legislation exists for certain types of materials, for example, toys and electronic products.
You can find out more about what applies to your company on the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s website.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like some help navigating the legislation: substitutionscentrum@ri.se
Hitta mer information
Kemikalieinspektionen är den myndighet i Sverige som ansvarar för den största delen av kemikalielagstiftningen. Nedan tipsar vi om en del av den information som finns på deras hemsida:
- Lagar och regler
Här finns t.ex. mer information om den generella kemikalielagstiftningen, lagar som gäller en specifik produktgrupp, regler som enbart gäller i Sverige och regler som finns hos andra myndigheter. - Stöd till företag
Vägledning där man utifrån sin roll i distributionskedjan och produkttyp får stöd i vilka kemikalieregler man måste följa. - Fråga kemikalieinspektionen
Här kan du hitta svar på vanliga frågor eller kontaktuppgifter om du vill ställa en egen fråga.
Hos den europeiska kemikaliemyndigheten Echa finns verktyget EUCLEF (EU Chemicals Legislation finder), här kan man se vilka lagstiftningar ett ämne omfattas av och kontrollera vilka skyldigheter man har.
I Substitutionscentrums stödmaterial finns en sammanställning över kemikalieregler som är relevanta för de vanligaste typerna av material som ingår varor som till exempel kläder, skor, möbler och inredning.
Kontakta oss gärna om du behöver hjälp att navigera rätt i lagstiftningen!
