Chemicals: What You Need to Know About the New Classifications
At Samaro, we are committed to supporting our clients and suppliers on a daily basis, particularly when it comes to regulatory matters. The European framework for chemicals is constantly evolving, and it is important for us to closely monitor these developments to ensure the compliance of the products we distribute.
Recently, the European Commission amended the CLP Regulation (Classification, Labelling and Packaging). This change introduces new hazard classes for chemical substances and mixtures. These new rules apply to all market players: manufacturers, importers, users, and distributors.
What’s Changing: New Hazard Classes to Know
The regulation applies to all substances and mixtures placed on the market in the European Union under the REACH regulation. It introduces new classifications related to risks to human health and the environment:
- Endocrine disruptors for human health (ED HH)
- Endocrine disruptors for the environment (ED ENV)
- Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBT and vPvB)
- Persistent, mobile and toxic substances (PMT and vPvM)
These new categories come with specific hazard statements, which must appear on labels and in Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
| Hazard Class / Category | Hazard Statement Code | Hazard Statement |
|---|---|---|
| ED HH 1 | EUH380 | May cause endocrine disruption in humans |
| ED HH 2 | EUH381 | Suspected of causing endocrine disruption in humans |
| ED ENV 1 | EUH430 | May cause endocrine disruption in the environment |
| ED ENV 2 | EUH431 | Suspected of causing endocrine disruption in the environment |
| PBT | EUH440 | Accumulates in the environment and in living organisms, including humans |
| vPvB | EUH441 | Highly accumulative in the environment and in living organisms, including humans |
| PMT | EUH450 | May lead to long-term diffuse contamination of water resources |
| vPvM | EUH451 | May lead to very long-term diffuse contamination of water resources |
Informing, Supporting, Updating
We closely monitor regulatory changes to quickly communicate essential information to our clients and suppliers. When a change occurs, we make sure to:
- Share new requirements as soon as they are known
- Update documents (SDS, labels, etc.)
- Notify our clients and suppliers of regulatory changes
- Support compliance processes, especially for sensitive substances
A Collective Commitment
These regulatory changes are part of a broader effort to ensure safety and protect human health and the environment. As a distributor, we have a key role to play in spreading information and ensuring that all stakeholders are well-informed.
In this spirit, we will continue working with our partners with seriousness and transparency.
Source: ECHA