ESA is offering space and non-space based industry the opportunity to learn more about the EU’s evolving environmental legislation such as REACH, which limits the use of potentially harmful chemicals to safeguard the environment and Europe’s citizens.

On 16 October, ESA will hold a workshop at its Paris headquarters in France to discuss the implications of REACH for the space sector with special focus on activities for space transportation.

Authorities and companies across the European Union are required to abide by REACH regulations which control the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. This is to promote the safe use of chemicals and the phasing out of substances that might pose health or environmental risks.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that issues the REACH regulation for the European Commission will attend this event, which presents a good opportunity to ask them questions.

The workshop will address the challenges that environmental regulation and directives pose for the space industry and how best to comply with these laws for ongoing space activities within different sectors, and on future space programmes.

Representatives from ESA, national space agencies and European industry will present on the following topics: