Severstal Cherepovets, the main steel producing facility of Severstal Russian Steel, has announced that it has become a member of the Iron Platform consortium. The consortium in question was established in 2008 under the auspices of the International Pig Iron Association to support suppliers of a variety of iron substances and iron-containing preparations in complying with the European Union's REACH (registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals) legislation.
According to Severstal Cherepovets technical director Andrey Lutsenko, compliance with the requirements of the new European Community regulations on chemicals and their safe use (REACH) is an obligatory condition for the deliveries of products to the markets of the European countries.
In November 2008, Severstal Cherepovets passed the procedure for preliminary registration of the substances contained in its steel and coke-chemical products with the European Chemicals Agency, and in January 2009 started the preparation for actual registration of substances.
"Membership of the Iron Platform consortium will allow the company not only to cut the costs for the procedure of substance registration, but will also completely and in time fulfill the European legislation's requirements for registration, estimation, authorization and restriction of chemical substances, taking into consideration the interests of Severstal Cherepovets," Mr. Lutsenko commented.