UK REACH: EUSES Stays, But the Outcomes Won’t Be the Same
The Environment Agency has published its Exploration of potential GB-specific modifications to the EUSES model for UK REACH. While technical in nature, the implications are clear and significant.
GB will continue to use EUSES as the environmental exposure model, but with UK-specific parameters for:
- River dilution
- Sewage treatment performance
- Rainfall
- Wind speed
- Soil characteristics
These GB-specific inputs generally lead to higher predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) compared with EU default values.
Why this matters
- This represents regulatory divergence in practice, even where the same model and guidance are referenced.
- Companies relying on EU REACH dossiers to support GB compliance should not assume equivalent outcomes.
- Risk characterisation, authorisation decisions, and review periods under UK REACH may increasingly differ from EU conclusions.
Key takeaway: Alignment in tools does not guarantee alignment in regulatory outcomes. UK REACH assessments will need to be considered on their own terms, particularly for substances close to risk thresholds. Please also note the proposed changes do not represent formal regulatory guidance.
The full report can be found here: Exploration of potential GB-specific modifications to the EUSES model for UK REACH
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