REACH

European Union Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemicals (REACH)

Vitrolite™ is exempt from registration in REACH for the foreseeable future.
REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006) established registration obligations of substances imported or used within the European Community. Article 2(7)(b) provides that certain substances in Annex V are exempted from registration. Annex V exemptions have been recently reviewed and updated.(Regulation (EC) No 987/2008). Item 7 in Annex V of Regulation (EC) No 987/2008 exempts “The following substances which occur in nature, if they are not chemically modified: Minerals, ores, ore concentrates, raw and processed natural gas, crude oil and coal.”

Vitrolite™ is produced from a naturally occurring mineral by a proprietary process comprising milling and drying to remove water. These processing steps are permissible as specified in Article 3(39) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 which defines “substances which occur in nature means a naturally occurring substance as such, unprocessed or processed by manual, mechanical or gravitational means……..or by heating solely to remove water….” Therefore, Vitrolite™ is still considered a mineral which occurs in nature and is thereby exempt from registration.

Vitrolite™ is derived from the mineral pumice, CAS 1332-09-8. A search of CAS 1332-09-8 on the ECHA website for pre-registered substances indicates that pumice does not have a specifically assigned EINECS number. ECHA envisages a registration deadline of 31 May 2022 for pumice.

Revision January 3, 2017