The registration and authorisation will be regulated by a new European chemicals agency based in Helsinki. REACH is intended to ensure that manufacturers, importers and downstream users do not place on the market substances (or articles which contain dangerous substances) that would present a risk to the health and safety of persons or the environment.

Shaw adds, ‘the idea is that everyone in the supply chain knows how to use the substances without creating risks for their workers, for the end users and for the environment.

But it seems this piece of legislation won’t impact immediately on the leisure marine industry.

‘REACH affects manufacturers of chemicals, but I expect no immediate impact on users of resins and other chemicals in our industry,’ said Adrian Waddams, manufacturing manager at the British Marine Federation (BMF).

In short, resin manufacturers will be affected, but the end users will not. Waddams says detailed advice and leaflets on REACH are available from the government at the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk/reach