REACH FOR POLYMERS Conference presentation Milan - May 2012 Benchmark Survey Results from the 1st survey Marie-Pierre Béatrix PEP – Centre Technique de la Plasturgie

From beginning of the project (2010) to the end (December 2012) The aim of the survey To gauge the level of awareness, attitudes and practices, understanding of the European polymer industries towards the REACH legislation Evaluate its impact on European polymer sector From beginning of the project (2010) to the end (December 2012)

Questions of the survey 4 groups : Description of the company size – sector – Main end use markets - country Aware – agree Estimated Level of knowledge and preparation Impacts and benefits + free comments (concerns) Goal : to cross data to highlight differences or similarities, relations between markets, countries…

Main Facts – Typology of companies 90% of responses from countries involved in this project 72% of companies fewer than 250 employees Automotive and transport is the main end-use market European typology

Processors, product manufacturers and assembly are the main sectors both sectors representing 75%

Main Facts - Knowledge 70% of companies consider themselves to have an average level of knowledge or higher Companies with business in the field of materials have a higher level of knowledge Estimated levels of knowledge and firm size are linked 28% considered their preparation level is between 0 and 4

Knowledge and preparation are very closely linked

Main Facts – Agree or not agree 20% not agree with the REACH but 6% of Italian companies do not agree compared to 29% of Spanish companies!

Main Facts – Impacts 62% REACH will have a moderate impact on their business 26% believe that it will have no impact

Main Facts – Benefits Only 3% of companies plan significant benefits 54% think that REACH will bring no benefits (markets do not introduce differences)

Main Facts – Free comments 50% of the comments focused on : - Administrative burden Implementing : time and competences The regulation is first seen as a workload requiring additional administrative time Lack of information is the main obstacle Main benefit : environmental impact

Evocation of Costs Cost : less than 10% of the comments Main topic : additional costs to comply REACH and Extra-European Union Competition Main preoccupation : competition from Asian companies Many of the participants believe the competition is not fair and not equal as REACH is not applied to Asian products What about Recycling? Some comments

We encourage you to Register on the web site Find information Download our handbooks and studies Use the toolkit With the extension of the project we hope to complete that investigation, with European states not belonging to the consortium Grazie mille!