Product development with the future in mind
The prime concern in Tikkurila's product development is to meet the changing
needs of customers, with environmental issues and product safety in mind. Our
mission is to create new products as well as improve existing ones and to adapt
them to meet the demands of new applications. At the same time, they have to
comply with increasingly stringent environmental standards.
New challenges created by REACH
The new European Chemicals Regulation (REACH) entered into force in June
2007. Companies manufacturing and importing chemicals are obliged to assess the
risks related to product use and provide instructions on how to use chemicals
safely. The Regulation thus increases Tikkurila's responsibility to inform its
customers about the health effects of its products. Health and safety data
sheets provide the most important channel of information to consumers and
professionals alike.
All substances manufactured or imported in quantities exceeding one tonne per
year will be registered in the REACH database maintained by the European
Chemicals Agency. There are around 30,000 chemicals like this in use in Europe.
Unregistered substances may not be manufactured or imported.
Registration requires that chemicals manufacturers and importers acquire information about issues including the hazardous qualities of substances, their forms of use and safe handling. Paints in themselves are not substances referred to by the Regulation. Instead, they are mixtures of them. Therefore paints need not be registered, but all substances contained in paint must be registered.
