The Polymer Consortium Korea (POCKO)
K-REACH imposes on the industry the need to register substances manufactured or imported ≥ 1 t/a by forming CICOs (Substance Information Exchange Forum – K-SIEF or CICO) and / or consortia to organize the required testing, dossier creation and joint submission.
Unlike EU-REACH, K-REACH requires the registration of polymers themselves. A new polymer substance must be registered prior to its manufacture or import, regardless of quantity. Existing polymer substances of ≥1 t/a must be pre-notified and registered within the given deadline. Polymers of Low Concern (PLCs) can be exempted from registration by submitting an exemption dossier, non-PLCs must be registered as regular substances.
Since polymers do not need to be registered under EU-REACH yet (only the monomers) and existing polymers do not need to be registered or notified to other chemical inventories, in most cases little or no data is available for existing polymers today.
Addressing the challenges arising from the obligation to register polymers for all stakeholders of the Korean chemical industry, we have set up the Polymer Consortium Korea (POCKO) for a smoother, more efficient and joint accomplishment of the requirements.
The POCKO offers to you the following advantages:
- Experts in polymer chemistry handle, group and analyze polymers, respecting highest levels of confidentiality
- Bundle, negotiate and streamline RfQs for polymer testing with qualified laboratories in the network of the Chemservice Group, resulting in cost reduction
- Professional study monitoring on polymer testing
- In case of available qualified data, manage data sharing conditions and agreements
- Polymer focused leadership and advocacy towards regulatory bodies
- Proven track record of efficient set-up and management of consortia including establishment of the legal framework
- Independent financial management of consortia including trustee account, recalculation and reimbursement processes
- Organization of study access for other legislations and management of reimbursements (e.g. for EU-REACH, if certain polymers are subject to registration, or food contact applications)