New Classification, Labeling and Packaging Regulations

The Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation ensures that chemical hazards are clearly communicated to consumers and workers before they handle them.

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The legislation also defines requirements for the packaging of hazardous substances and provides the basis for the safety data sheets (SDSs) regulated under REACH. Before sub-stances and mixtures (formerly preparations) are placed on the market, the industry must establish potential risks to human health and the environment, and classify them with identified hazards.

What is CLP?
In the European Union (EU), the CLP Regulation is governed by Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures. The Regulation was adopted from the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System (GHS) on the classification and labeling of chemicals. It replaced two pieces of legislation: Directive 67/548/EEC (Dan-gerous Substances Directive, DSD); and Directive 1999/45/EC (Dangerous Preparations Di-rective, DPD).

The CLP came into force in January 2009 and has applied to all EU member states since June 2015. Due to new scientific data on chemicals and technical development, the CLP Regula-tion is routinely amended by adaptations to technical progress (ATPs).

In CLP, the principles for classification and labeling are similar to DSD and DPD but the crite-ria for classification are different. Pictograms are used for health hazards, physical-chemical hazards and environmental hazards (Table 1). The signal word is either ‘danger’ or ‘warn-ing’. There are also hazard statements (H statements) and precautionary statements (P statements).

CLP and SDSs
An SDS should be provided to downstream users for:
• A substance or mixture that is classified as hazardous to CLP
• A substance that is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB)
• A substance on the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs)

How CLP was implemented
The CLP Regulation was implemented in two phases: it has applied in full to substances placed on the market since December 1, 2012 and to mixtures placed on the market since June 1, 2015.

Mixtures that have been classified, labeled and packaged according to DPD and placed on the market before June 1, 2015 must be relabeled and repackaged according to the CLP Regulation from June 1, 2017.

What Companies Need To Do
Suppliers of chemicals are required to classify, label and package substances and mixtures in accordance with the CLP Regulation. The obligations are dependent upon the role (or roles) of the supplier within the supply chain:
• Manufacturer of substances or mixtures
• Importer of substances or mixtures
• Manufacturer of specific articles
• Downstream user, including formulators and re-importer
• Distributor, including retailer

If a hazardous substance is placed on the market for the first time, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) must be notified of its classification and labeling within a month. For im-porters, this month starts from the day when a substance, on its own or in a mixture, is introduced to the customs territory of the EU.

CLP Hazard Labeling
A substance or mixture classified as hazardous must bear a label with the following infor-mation:
• Name, address and telephone of supplier(s)
• Nominal quantity package made available to the general public
• Product identifier
• Hazard pictogram where applicable
• Signal word
• Hazard statement where applicable
• Precautionary statement where applicable
• Supplementary information

CLP and Relevant Legislation and Standards
Examples of where the CLP Regulation has an impact include:
• Directive 2009/48/EC on Toy Safety (TSD) – e.g. substances classified as carcinogen-ic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMRs) Category 1A, 1B or 2, unless exempted, are prohibited
• REACH - e.g. substances classified as CMRs Category 1A or 1B are prohibited to be supplied to the general public (entries 28 to 30 under Annex XVII)
• Regulation (EC) 10/2011 on ‘Food Contact Plastics’ – CMRs should not be used without previous authorization
• EN 71-4 ‘Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities’
• EN 71-5 ‘Chemical toys (sets) other than experimental sets’

CLP and Relevant Products
Examples of where the CLP Regulation has an impact include:
• Aerosol dispensers and adhesives/glues
• Candles
• Ink in pens
• Food contact plastics (substances classified as CMRs should not be used without previous authorization)
• Paints
• Toys that are articles (CMRs are prohibited)
• Toys that are substances or mixtures such as accessible liquids in writing instru-ments, bubble solutions, crayons, finger paints, play dough and slime.

How SGS Can Help
SGS has an international team of professional experts with a comprehensive knowledge of CLP, GHS and SDSs for international markets. The company aims to assist suppliers and others who need to check products against legislative standards, retailer requests, and so on.

Services include CLP labeling, safety data sheets (SDSs) to REACH and international re-quirements, consultancy and factory audits.

For further information about SGS CLP and CLP-related services, contact global expert:

HingWo Tsang, Ph.D.
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Hardlines
SGS Hong Kong Limited
t: +852 2774 7420
Email: cts.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 90,000 em-ployees, SGS operates a network of over 2,000 offices and laboratories around the world.

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This release was published on openPR.