CHEMICALS AND NORTHERN IRELAND POST BREXIT

The Northern Ireland Protocol was introduced as part of the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU, to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, whilst ensuring that the UK, including Northern Ireland, could leave the EU as a whole. Therefore, it included a number of special provisions which apply only in Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021.

The HSE has now published guidance on how these provisions will apply to various issues including the regulation of biocides, the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals and the export and import of hazardous chemicals from Northern Ireland.

If you operate relevant businesses in Northern Ireland you can find the guidance on the HSE’s website at:

Biocides: https://www.hse.gov.uk/brexit/biocides-ni.htm
Export and import of hazardous chemicals: https://www.hse.gov.uk/brexit/pic-ni.htm
Classification, labelling and packaging: https://www.hse.gov.uk/brexit/clp-ni.htm

The HSE advise that under the Northern Ireland Protocol the EU REACH Regulation will continue to apply to Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period, while UK REACH will regulate the access of substances to the GB market. You can find more information about REACH and Brexit on the HSE’s website at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/brexit/reach-guidance.htm?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EU-Exit&utm_term=reach&utm_content=chemicals-30-oct-20