New regulations apply to substances from December 1st 2010. For mixtures the change will be phased in over five years. The most obvious changes to Labels and Safety Data Sheets will be the disappearance of Orange Squares, Risk Phrases & Safety Phrases; replaced with Red Diamonds, Signal Words, Hazard Statements and Precautionary Statements.
Current Situation
Currently safety datasheets are compiled according to UK implements of either the European Dangerous Substances Directive (No. 67/548/EEC), or the Dangerous Preparations Directive (No. 1999/45/EC). These safety data sheets allow a clear distinction between non-classified, irritant and corrosive chemicals, but all is about to change.
Outside the EU, there are numerous different classification and labelling systems. For example; whereas in the US, a chemical may be classified as “Toxic”, the EU classification may be just “Harmful”. The chemical industry relies on worldwide trade, this confusion makes assessing the safety of chemicals difficult. Members of the United Nations have agreed on a Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. In the EU this is implemented as Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) and will replace the DSD and DPD system of classifications.
Changes
The most obvious changes to Labels and Safety Data Sheets will be the disappearance of the well understood Orange Squares, Risk Phrases and Safety Phrases, these are to be replaced with Red Diamonds, Signal Words (such as Danger or Warning), Hazard Statements and Precautionary Statements. There is no direct correlation between the systems. Sometimes products that are currently classified as Irritant may move to become Corrosive.
The new regulations apply to substances from December 1st 2010, but for mixtures the change will be phased in over five years. Most products supplied by Holchem (but not all) are mixtures.
Holchem do not manufacture substances. We will be guided by information from our suppliers and will review products that may be considered as substances in December 2010 and January 2011. If necessary we will issue new safety data sheets and apply the new labelling rules. However, for stock that is already in a warehouse, there is a two year derogation before it has to be relabelled.
Holchem currently has no plans to bring forward the 2015 deadline for reclassifying and labelling mixtures, but will review this position periodically. Other detergent suppliers may choose to operate on different timescales. Holchem will continue to actively review safety data sheets and re-issue in the appropriate format as new information becomes available from suppliers.
Please contact Holchem’s Technical Centre for further information.