Cosmetics News In Brief: ECHA Makes Non-Confidential REACH Data More Accessible

Researchers, regulators, companies and other stakeholders stand to benefit from a newly launched IUCLID portal that facilitates access to key study data submitted under the EU’s REACH regulation. According to a March 23 announcement from the European Chemicals Agency, the information represents a subset of non-confidential data on roughly 15,000 chemicals that is already published on the agency’s website. But whereas users of that gateway must search for one chemical at a time, the new platform gives registered users the ability to download free-of-charge a database of study results for all chemicals, in reduced form, relating to physical-chemical properties, toxicology profiles, and environmental fates and hazards. “ECHA believes that making this data downloadable will be yet another step forward towards the goals of REACH – both in terms of improving the safe use of chemicals, for example through improved safety data sheets, and the development and use of alternative methods,” minimizing the need for animal testing, the agency says. The European chemical industry association Cefic welcomes the development, calling it a “win-win for all stakeholders.”

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