EHS Blog English

Directive 2019/983: what’s new?

On June 5th 2019 the European Directive 2019/983 has been published. This directive updates Annex III Directive 2004/37/CE, containing the occupational exposure limit values by adding new entries.

What substances have been added to the Candidate List?

ECHA, on request of the European Commission or a Member State, may propose a substance to be identified as of very high concern (SVHC).

Two standards update the Japanese implementation of GHS

In Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Meti and MHLW) published two new standards that take place of the previous GHS implementation rules. These standards update the Japanese GHS implementation to the sixth UN GHS revision. Standard JIS Z 7252 updates classification criteria, while standard JIS Z 7253 concerns the redaction of SDSs.

The UFI code, introduced by CLP Annex VIII, is a labelling element that links a specific hazardous mixture to its specific data that has been notified to the EU Poison Centres database. Therefore, every company that places hazardous mixtures on the market will have to generate their own UFI codes, so that they can be included in the EU Poison Centres notifications for their products and then be included in the hazardous products' label.

The importance of restrictions

Restrictions are a tool for protecting human health and the environment from unacceptable risks that come with some hazardous chemical substances. Restrictions, described in Annex XVII of Regulation EC n° 1907/2006 (REACH), can limit or forbid the production, use or placing on the market of a specific substance. Restrictions to which a substance or mixture is subject must be specified in the 15^th section of the SDS.

Annex VIII of CLP: what does it entail?

According to article 45 of the CLP Regulation, importers and downstream users who place hazardous mixtures on the market shall submit relevant info to appointed bodies, in order to allow the proper management of emergencies.

Labelling is a process aimed at communicating hazard to downstream users and consumers. It is a relevant activity for distributors, manufacturers and importers. In EU, this happens in accordance with the CLP regulation.

What is the TSCA Inventory?

When preparing a US SDS, section 15 will show data concerning the TSCA federal regulation (Toxic Substances Control Act). The TSCA Inventory lists all the substances manufactured or processed in the USA.

In previous newsletters we had the chance to get deeper in the ways in which to implement various GHS regulations and standards. These needs change from country to country, based on how they implement the GHS standard and on what additional laws and regulations they might implement.

CLP Annex VIII: what does it define?

Article 45 of the CLP regulation requires that importers and downstream users placing hazardous mixtures on the market communicate relevant data to the appropriate organisations, in order to prepare an emergency response when needed.