This Thesis Examines the Possible Effects of the REACH Regulation
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THE NEW CHEMICALS POLICY OF THE EU AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS ON EU AND TURKEY A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY ZELİHA BACAKOĞLU IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EUROPEAN STUDIES NOVEMBER 2016 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Tülin GENÇÖZ Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Galip YALMAN Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şule GÜNEŞ Supervisor Examining Committee Members Assist. Prof. Dr. Gamze Aşçıoğlu ÖZ (METU, ADM) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şule GÜNEŞ (METU, IR) Assist. Prof. Dr. M. Pınar Gözen ERCAN (Hacettepe Univ., IR) PLAGIARISM I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Zeliha BACAKOĞLU Signature : iii ABSTRACT THE NEW CHEMICALS POLICY OF THE EU AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS ON EU AND TURKEY Bacakoğlu, Zeliha M.Sc., Department of European Studies Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şule GÜNEŞ November 2016, 107 pages This thesis aims at analysing the REACH Regulation which constitutes the backbone of the New Chemicals Policy of the EU in the context of the environmental framework. Related to that aim, basic instruments of the Regulation are considered in order to clarify what kind of health and environmental benefits to be obtained with them. Secondly, the EU-Turkey relations is examined with its twofold nature under the Customs Union and candidacy process by seeking an answer to the question of possible legislative and economic impact of REACH Regulation on Turkey. Keywords: EU, New Chemicals Policy, REACH Regulation, Environment, Turkey iv ÖZ AB’NİN YENİ KİMYASALLAR POLİTİKASI VE AB VE TÜRKİYE ÜZERİNDEKİ ÇEVRESEL ETKİLERİ Bacakoğlu, Zeliha Yüksek Lisans, Avrupa Çalışmaları Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Şule GÜNEŞ Kasım 2016, 107 sayfa Bu çalışmada AB’nin Yeni Kimyasallar Politikası’nın omurgasını teşkil eden REACH Tüzüğü çevresel bir çerçevede analiz edilmektedir. Bu amaçla, Tüzüğün temel enstrümanlarına değinilerek, sağlık ve çevre açısından belirlenen hedeflerden hangilerinin bu araçlarla elde edilebileceği hususu ortaya konulmaktadır. Ardından, Gümrük Birliği ve üyelik süreci kapsamında iki başlı yürüyen AB-Türkiye ilişkileri ele alınarak, REACH Tüzüğü’nün Türkiye’ye idari ve ekonomik etkilerinin ne olacağı sorusuna cevap aranmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: AB, Yeni Kimyasallar Politikası, REACH Tüzüğü, Çevre, Türkiye v DEDICATION To my family for their support and encouragement vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şule GÜNEŞ for her guidance, academic assistance, advice, and criticism throughout the research. I would also like to thank Assist. Prof. Dr. Gamze AŞÇIOĞLU ÖZ and Assist. Prof. Dr. Pınar GÖZEN ERCAN for their suggestions and comments. Last but not the least I am grateful to my family for their unconditional support and encouragement through my life. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM .......................................................................................................... III ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................... IV ÖZ ............................................................................................................................... V DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................... VII LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... XI LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. XII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................. XIII CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 2 THE EUROPEAN PRE-REACH LEGISLATIVE ERA ........................................ 8 2.1 EU LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK PRIOR TO REACH ....................................... 8 2.2 PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM PRE-REACH LEGISLATION .......................... 10 2.2.1 Internal Market Fragmented by Patchwork Legislation......................... 10 2.2.2 Lack of Sufficient Data for Chemicals in the Market ............................ 11 2.2.3 Burden of Proof on Public Authorities................................................... 12 2.2.4 Heavy Testing Requirements for New Substances ................................ 12 2.2.5 Environmental Targets of EU under SDS and UNEP ............................ 13 3 REACH AND THE INSTRUMENTS .................................................................. 15 3.1 EU’S NEW CHEMICALS POLICY: REACH ................................................... 15 3.2 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF REACH ................................................. 16 3.2.1 European Chemicals Agency ................................................................. 16 3.2.2 Competent Authorities ........................................................................... 17 3.3 REACH PROCEDURES ................................................................................ 17 3.3.1 Registration ............................................................................................ 18 3.3.2 Evaluation .............................................................................................. 21 3.3.3 Authorization.......................................................................................... 22 viii 3.3.4 Restriction .............................................................................................. 24 4 THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF REACH ........................................... 25 4.1 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS .......... 26 4.2 FILLING THE INFORMATION GAP FOR EXISTING CHEMICALS....................... 32 4.3 IDENTIFICATION OF INTRINSIC PROPERTIES OF CHEMICALS ........................ 33 4.4 PROMOTING NON-ANIMAL TESTING ........................................................... 34 4.4.1 Legal Requirements for Animal Welfare and Data Sharing .................. 35 4.4.2 Recent Improvements............................................................................. 37 4.5 RESTRICTION OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS ................................................. 39 4.6 ENSURING PROPER HANDLING, USAGE AND DISPOSAL OF CHEMICALS ...... 42 4.7 SHIFTING BURDEN OF PROOF FROM PUBLIC AUTHORITIES TO MANUFACTURERS ................................................................................................... 43 4.8 IMPROVING CHEMICAL RISK MANAGEMENT ............................................... 46 5 THE GLOBAL OUTLOOK OF CHEMICALS AND TURKEY IN THE REACH SYSTEM .................................................................................................................... 48 5.1 INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS GOVERNING CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT ..... 48 5.1.1 Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) 49 5.1.2 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer ........... 50 5.1.3 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants ...................... 51 5.1.4 Rotterdam Convention ........................................................................... 51 5.1.5 Basel Convention ................................................................................... 52 5.1.6 Chemical Weapons Convention ............................................................. 53 5.1.7 Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling Chemicals ...... 53 5.2 TURKEY’S HARMONIZATION PROCESS OF THE REACH REGULATION ........ 54 5.2.1 Rights and Obligations Arising From the Customs Union .................... 55 5.2.2 Requirement to Conform with Acquis Communautaire in Candidacy Process ............................................................................................................... 56 5.3 THE OUTLOOK OF TURKEY REGARDING CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT ......... 58 5.3.1 Turkey and Multilateral Arrangements .................................................. 59 5.3.2 The Chemical Management Legislation in Turkey ................................ 61 ix 5.3.3 Institutional Framework ......................................................................... 62 5.3.4 Ongoing Harmonization Studies ............................................................ 63 5.4 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS ............................... 64 5.4.1 The Methodology Applied for the Environmental and Health Benefits 64 5.4.2 Potential Health Benefits........................................................................ 65 5.4.3 Environmental Benefits .......................................................................... 67 5.4.4 Cost-Benefit Comparison of REACH for Turkey .................................. 68 6 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................