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About CLP
About GHSAs chemicals can have adverse effects to humans and the environment a regulated classification and labeling according to international standards is of high importance. Several regions around the world have regulated the classification and labeling of chemicals in their own system. In 2003 the United Nation initiated the “Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals ”, the GHS, in order to minimize differences between systems of different jurisdictions for classification and labelling of substances and mixtures.
The aim of GHS is to enhance the protection of human health and the environment by globally harmonizing:
- The criteria of classification of chemicals
- The labeling i.e. the communication of hazards by means of labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) towards workers and consumers
As a result GHS provides and an internationally comprehensible system for hazard communication and facilitates international trade in chemicals whose hazards have been properly assessed and identified on an international basis.
While the GHS is not legally binding, the GHS document is a guidance document that establishes criteria and methods for hazard classification and communication. Based on the GHS the EU Commission launched the CLP Regulation.
About CLP
The CLP Regulation is the new European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemical substances and mixtures implementing the provisions of GHS and introducing a new system for classifying and labelling chemicals. The CLP Regulation entered into force on 20 January 2009. It is the task of industry to establish what are the hazards of substances and mixtures before these are placed on the market (classification) and to inform workers and consumers by means of labels (labelling) and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) about these hazards. The provisions of CLP will replace Council Directive 67/548/EEC (Dangerous Substances Directive, DSD) and Directive 1999/45/EC (Dangerous Preparations Directive, DPD) in a stepwise approach.
Roles and Obligations
The obligations placed on a supplier of substances or mixtures under CLP will mostly depend upon their role towards a substance or mixture in the supply chain. It is therefore most important that any actor identifies his role under CLP. Similar to the definitions under REACH CLP distinguishes between Manufacturers of substances, Importers of substances and mixtures, Downstream Users (including formulators and re-importers) and Distributors (including retailers). It should be noted that suppliers of substances or mixtures may have more than one role under CLP.
CLP places a general obligation for all suppliers in the supply chain to co-operate, so as to meet the requirements for classification, labelling and packaging set out in this Regulation. As a Manufacturer, Importer or Downstream User you will have to classify, label and package substances and mixtures according to CLP before placing them on the market. A consequence of this Regulation is that you will have to change current labels and Safety Data Sheets. Additionally you should update the label following any change to the classification and labelling of that substance or mixture, in certain cases without undue delay. A concise overview on the obligations can be found in the introductory document of CLP by ECHA, page 10 ff.
Impacts on your company
Although CLP has been kept as close to the former EU classification as possible, there are some differences and in some cases chemicals will be classified more severely than now, or chemicals
which were formerly not considered as hazardous will be classified as hazardous. This could have a major impact on your warehouse organization.
You can find further information in our Leaflet on GHS – CLP. In order to allow you to get access to official documents we have listed below some links to the documents authorities.
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