Reach’s health benefits are four times greater than the costs

The EU chemicals regulation Reach offers health benefits that are four times greater than the costs, according to new analysis by the European Chemicals Agency (Echa). The monetised health benefits of Reach from restricting the manufacture and use of chemicals that pose a risk to EU citizens amount to €2.1 billion (£1.83 billion) annually, while the associated costs to society add up to €500 million per year, Echa estimates. Meanwhile, the combined costs of all restrictions that Reach proposed between 2010 and 2020 amounted to €1.7 billion per year, the agency calculates.