MATHER is a Life project that aims at designing and developing a highly innovative ICT tool to collect, monitor and make accessible and interoperable chemical data used in mass market products (like home appliances) including tracking of current and future EU regulations in the field of chemicals and environment, such as RoHS and REACH.

Objectives

Spreading awareness

Enhancing the consciousness of human and environmental impacts of materials and chemicals used in purchased components for own products to sustain a more informed decision making about materials and components selection, during products design and production

Providing data

Providing EU Health Units with precious data about composition, quantity and environmentalhuman possible impacts to allow assessing the exposures from chemical mixtures

Reducing costs

Highly reducing internal costs, related to the continuous updating of materials databases and dramatically reducing the time-to-compliance with regulations of products before accessing the market

Supporting change

supporting companies and policy makers in a more conscious selection and use of chemicals in products and guaranteeing the prompt implementation of EU policies&directives related to chemicals in EU products and production processes

Actions

A

Preparation

  1. Study for health/environment data and EU legislation

B

Implementation

  1. User/technical requirements and collection of market materials data
  2. LIFE MATHER Chemical monitoring data tool design and implementation
  3. Tests, optimisation and demonstration
  4. Replicability potential evaluation and Exploitation & Business Plan

C

Monitoring the impact

  1. Performance Indicators measurement and Environmental Impact and Human Health Exposures Assessments and LCA
  2. Socio-economic impact assessment

D

Public awareness and dissemination of results

  1. Communication and Dissemination
  2. Guidelines and Roadmapping for Policy makers and Health units
  3. Networking Activities

E

Project Management

  1. Project Management by WHEMEA

Timeline

Expected Results

Development of a new chemical monitoring data tool

Linking each chemical substance used by a company with both the regulatory framework and its impacts on human health and environment

Visibility of composition of the materials

in the manufactured products, covering up to 95% of the total material

Shared knowledge

of all restricted and controlled substances along the whole supply chain

More effective, faster and flexible compliance

of the manufactured products with EU environmental and chemicals directives and regulations, with time to identify products impacted by a new regulation reduced by more than 90%

Proactive reaction

to the updating of EU environmental and chemicals directives and regulations, reducing the risk of non-compliance for manufactured appliances by up to 90%

Reduction of the global warming potential (GWP)

associated with the WHEMEA products, considering that the GWP associated with the use of silicon is only 2% of that of lead