Use Communication

One of the responsibilities under REACH legislation is to describe the uses of chemical substances and issue so called exposure scenarios that describe the exposure pathways throughout the life cycle of a substance. In this process different exposure routes (orally, via skin contact or breathing), duration and frequency of the exposure are the most important elements that are described and included in the exposure scenarios. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has developed a system to standardise this description process - the Use Descriptor System (UDS).

Identification of uses for an exposure assessment is required for:

• hazardous substances and mixtures in accordance with CLP regulation (EC No 1272/2008),
• persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT)
• very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB) substances

Borealis has developed exposures scenarios that cover the identified uses and include the specific use conditions needed for safe use of the substances belonging to the above mentioned criteria. Borealis’ exposure scenarios are available to customers as attachments in the Safety Data Sheets.

Several Downstream User sector organisations have developed use maps by collecting information on the uses and the conditions of use of chemicals in their sector in a harmonised and structured way. The use map concept is developed to improve the quality of the information on use and conditions of use communicated up the supply chain and the efficiency of this communication process. They are published on ECHA website. We have been active in the development of the use map for Fertilizers and the Fertilizers Environmental Exposure Tool.

Use information for suppliers

Borealis feedstock materials are frequently used as intermediates under strictly controlled conditions (SCC) and audits are performed on a regular basis by external bodies including authorities to ensure compliance to the SCC set by REACH.

Borealis requests all of its suppliers to be REACH and CLP compliant and provide the respective uses and exposure scenarios. Suppliers are requested to ensure that Borealis applications in question are covered in their respective registrations.

Please send your exposure scenarios and use information to reach@borealisgroup.com

Use Information for customers

The majority of Borealis products are not classified as hazardous nor are they assessed as persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB). Therefore no communication of uses needs to be performed.

For those products which require an exposure assessment, Borealis directly contacts its customers to provide a use descriptor set.

Polyolefins

Borealis is member of the Plastics Exposure Scenario team (PEST), a working group under the European Plastics Converters Association (EuPC). PEST represents the plastic supply chain with the most important associations of additive manufacturers/importers, compounders, master batchers, plastics converters and plastics producers.

PEST coordinates the identification of uses of polyolefin products and maintains a website for all plastic value chain actors. Borealis has been involved in the development of the scenarios and thus supports the PEST mapping of use descriptor sets. Borealis polyolefin customers are invited to register and check out the mapping of applications and processes.

Base Chemicals

For use information related to Borealis’ Base Chemicals products, please download the respective Safety Data Sheets.