This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of chemicals environmental legislation that may affect your business in Northern Ireland. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
Chemicals legislation for Northern Ireland covers using, storing, transporting, packaging, labelling and disposing of chemicals and other substances that could harm the environment. It includes what qualifications are required to use certain chemicals and measures to control major accident hazards involving dangerous substances.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
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Sets out requirements for designing and labelling batteries and accumulators (rechargeable batteries) and battery-powered electrical and electronic equipment, to make it easier to recycle waste batteries.
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Sets out rules on transport of dangerous goods by rail (largely revoked by 2006/173).
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Sets out rules on transporting dangerous goods by road, including the labelling of containers, tanks and vehicles used, and rules for loading and unloading.
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Regulates the carrying of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterways and the use of pressurised cylinders, drums and other equipment.
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Amends 2010/160 to transpose EU Directive 2010/35 on transportable pressure equipment. Updates technical provisions, conformity requirements and responsibilities of operators, to improve safety and ensure free movement of transportable pressure equipment.
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Sets out rules on the classification, packaging, labelling and advertising of dangerous chemicals and preparations.
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Amends 2002/301 to introduce a new approved supply list.
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Amends 2002/301 by updating how certain dangerous chemicals are classified, labelled and how information is provided on safety datasheets.
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Requires manufacturers, importers and users to follow UN criteria for classifying, labelling and packaging hazardous substances and mixtures.
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Bans the import, supply and new use of asbestos. Requires employers to assess risks and limit employees' exposure. Also requires employers to have the correct licence before working with asbestos and to ensure that their employees have proper training.
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Amends 2007/31 to clarify the appeals procedure for licensing work with asbestos.
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Requires employers to assess the risks of, prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances and monitor employees’ exposure. Also places duties on employees concerning their own protection from such exposure.
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Requires employers to assess risks, prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances, and monitor employees' exposure.
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Amends 2003/34 to add a definition of mutagen and include 17 polychlorodibenzodioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans to the list of substances defined as carcinogens.
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Amends 2003/288 with drafting changes.
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Establishes procedures to prevent major accident hazards involving dangerous substances.
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Amends 2000/93 with minor changes.
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Amends the principal Regulations by removing the exemption relating to paraffin used as a fuel in decorative lamps.
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Enforces EU Regulation 648/2004. Introduces requirements for the composition and labelling of detergents. Introduces a ban from 1 January 2015 on sale of domestic laundry cleaning products containing inorganic phosphates.
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Revokes and replaces 304/2003 on the export and import of dangerous substances. Requires chemical importers and exporters to provide details of quantities of chemicals in international trade so the effectiveness of arrangements can be assessed.
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Requires that detergents and cleaning products meet minimum levels of biodegradability.
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Allows governments to impose new requirements on handling, use, import, export, recovery, recycling, reclaming, destruction and trading of listed substances. Sets out plan to phase out production, trade and use of HCFCs.
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Amends 1005/2009 by banning the use of halons in firefighting equipment except for military and aviation uses.
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Sets out controls on producing and using dangerous pesticides, industrial chemicals and chemical by-products.
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Amends 850/2004 (Annexes IV and V) by adding a further nine polluting substances whose production and use has to be controlled.
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Amends 850/2004 (Annexes I and III) by adding a further nine polluting substances whose production and use has to be controlled.
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Requires manufacturers and importers of chemicals to evaluate and manage risks arising from their use, and prove that chemicals placed on the market are safe.
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Sets out responsibilities, powers, offences and penalties for enforcing REACH.
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Amends 1907/2006 by replacing Annexes IV and V with new versions covering exemptions from the obligation to register substances, mixtures or articles.
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Amends 1907/2006 by replacing Annexes IV and V with new versions covering exemptions from the obligation to register substances, mixtures or articles.
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Amends 1907/2006 by adding criteria to Annex XVII for restricting dichloromethane, lamp oils and grill lighter fluids and organstannic compounds.
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Amends 1907/2006 to change the criteria for compiling safety data sheets from 1 December 2010 for substances and 1June 2015 for mixtures.
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Amends 1907/2006 Annex XIV by adding six substances that are not to be placed on the market or used after a certain date, unless an authorisation has been granted.
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Amends 1907/2006 by replacing Annex XIII relating to the identification of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances and very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances.
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Amends 1907/2006 by adding criteria to Annex XVII for controlling the use of cadmium in plastics, paints, brazing fillers and jewellery.
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Sets up a licensing system for depositing substances in the sea, and incinerating at sea. Also provides a legal framework for controlling pesticides.
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Sets out registration and licensing requirements for manufacturing and storing explosives.
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Sets out restrictions on the marketing and use of blue colourants.
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Establishes competent authorities to enforce 2004/850 and lay down offences and penalties.
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Sets out measures to control major accident hazards involving dangerous substances.
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Increases the range of dangerous substances that you need consent for to store or process; puts tighter controls on the amounts allowed before consent must be obtained.
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Corrects an error in 2009/399. Provides transitional provisions for operators affected.
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Bans the marketing of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than specified levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and other hazardous substances.
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Amends 2008/37 by correcting drafting errors and substituting a new section on compliance and enforcement notices.
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Sets out duties of operators of road tankers, tank containers and vehicles carrying tank containers transporting dangerous substances.
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Makes it an offence to use heavy fuel oil or gas oil containing more than the prescribed amount of sulphur.
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Establishes a legal framework and schemes for collecting, treating and recycling portable, industrial and vehicle batteries. Applies to all types of batteries except when used for military and space equipment.
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Sets charges for small producers, battery compliance schemes, battery treatment operators and battery exporters to pay to the Department of the Environment under the Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.
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Sets out exemptions from waste management licensing for storing waste batteries. Amends Landfill Regulations (NI) 2003 and Pollution Prevention and Control (Regulations) (NI) 2003/46 to ban automotive and industrial batteries from landfill.
