Smithers Rapra, a subsidiary of U.S.-based independent testing, research and consulting organisation, The Smithers Group, has added new speakers to the line up for their fourth international conference on REACH January 20-22, 2009, in Houston.

Mr Joerg Lebsanft, Head of Unit for Evaluation, at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki will open the conference with an update on the implementation activities at ECHA and will go on to talk about effective testing programmes under REACH.  ECHA’s involvement in this important meeting will not only give delegates an opportunity to hear direct from the Agency about plans for the year ahead, but also to provide feedback to Agency representatives on how REACH is working at a grass roots level across the USA.

Smithers Rapra is also delighted to welcome to the speaking panel two further high profile presenters.  Dr Brian Magee, Vice President and Principal Toxicologist, AMEC Earth & Environmental, providers of leading consultancy, engineering and project management services to the world’s energy, power and process industries joins the programme as a bronze conference sponsor.  Speaking on the subject Supply Chain Communication, Dr Magee, will provide advice for global companies that manufacture articles, such as appliances, that have no intended substance releases.  The talk will discuss the relevant REACH requirements for and present the strategies and experiences of a global article manufacturer.

The third addition to the programme is Emma Chynoweth, Contributing Editor at Chemical Watch, the renowned online publisher of news and intelligence to help companies meet responsibilities under chemicals legislation. With a paper “REACH: Past, present and issues for 2009 and beyond”, Emma will address REACH and other chemical safety regulations in the pipeline, both in the EU and US. Specifically, Emma will take a look at how REACH will influence CHAMP and the likely reform of TSCA, as well as other pressures on chemical safety, for example, from the supply chain and NGOs.

Timed to coincide with the end of the pre-registration phase of the legislation and ECHA’s publication of a list of pre-registered substances, Smithers Rapra’s high-profile conference has been developed to provide you practical solutions to the ever evolving technical and legal challenges that REACH poses.  Each day of the conference may be booked separately so that companies may build their own bespoke event.