Amari Digital Supplies (ADS), distributor of Mactac self-coloured sign-making films, for example, has recently announced that now all the manufacturer’s films are within the European Regulation for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directive that comes into force this month.

REACH, which first came into force in 2007, protects human health and the environment from the use of harmful chemicals, something that the sign-making industry is often guilty of.

The directive only applies to the manufacturing processes, so using currently supplied Mactac materials is still acceptable.

However, from January 2015 onwards, the makeup of certain colours—predominantly yellow, orange, red, green, grey and metallic—of the 9800, 8300, and 9700 Pro series of films, as well as the Tuning Film Series’ Sublime range will be changed in accordance with the REACH requirement.

The company promises the new colours will be as close to the old films as possible and ADS will provide Mactac colour cards including both old and new colours for comparison.

Since June 15th, all Mactac products have been free of heavy metals-based pigments, therefore fully compliant with the current regulations. Since the damage of the recession has started to fall into the past, manufacturers such as sign-makers have started paying more attention to the environmental needs of customers, something which the EU is keen to legislate on.