This is one of the questions we hear most often: "We already did RoHS — why is the customer also asking for REACH?" Here's how the two relate to each other.
Different Scope
RoHS mainly applies to electrical and electronic equipment. REACH covers almost every product category exported to the EU — textiles, toys, cosmetic packaging, and more. In other words, if your product isn't electronic, RoHS likely doesn't apply, but REACH still might.
Different Substance Lists
RoHS restricts 10 specific hazardous substances (lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, and four types of phthalates). REACH focuses on the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) list, which currently covers over 200 substances and is updated roughly every six months.
Practical Recommendations
- First determine whether your product category falls under RoHS
- Regardless of RoHS applicability, evaluate REACH compliance for any EU-bound export
- Monitor SVHC list updates, especially for products using plastics, coatings, or printing inks
- Re-evaluate whenever your supply chain changes (new material supplier, new process)
Both are related to "chemical substance compliance," but they don't substitute for each other — for products exported to the EU, both typically need to be assessed.