Hazardous substances and mixtures must be classified, labelled and packaged appropriately before being placed on the market to protect human health and the environment. The rules for this can be found in the European Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008, the so-called CLP Regulation. It sets uniform standards for the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures for all member states.  Furthermore, the CLP Regulation also regulates the notification of hazardous mixtures to the Poisons Information Centres and the notification of hazardous substances to the Classification and Labelling Inventory.

Furthermore, many other legal consequences and risk management measures, such as authorisation or restriction under REACH, depend on classification under CLP.

The CLP Regulation is based on the recommendation of the United Nations (UN), on the so-called "Globally Harmonised System" (GHS), which goes back to the 1992 Sustainability Conference in Rio de Janeiro. The UN GHS provides the framework for globally uniform standards for the identification of hazardous substances and mixtures and sets the rules for passing on the necessary information in the supply chain. Europe was one of the first regions in the world to implement this UN GHS framework.

For more information on the contents of the CLP Regulation, please visit the REACH-CLP Biocides Helpdesk website.

Classification

If a substance or mixture poses hazards to humans or the environment due to its intrinsic properties, it is classified as hazardous. The result of the classification is the allocation to so-called hazard classes/differentiations and categories. In contrast to substances and mixtures, articles do not have to be classified according to the CLP Regulation.

For some substances there are legally binding classifications that must be taken into account by all suppliers. This harmonised classification is contained in Annex VI of the CLP Regulation. The Federal Office for Chemicals at the BAuA coordinates the preparation of German proposals for such classifications, which are then discussed at EU level by a scientific panel at the European Chemicals Agency and the Member States.

Labelling and packaging

A substance or mixture classified as hazardous and contained in packaging must bear a hazard label in accordance with the provisions of the CLP Regulation. The content of the label and the arrangement of the different label elements are laid down in the CLP Regulation.

Uniform labelling is intended to reduce the risks to human health and the environment in the manufacture, transport and use of chemicals or hazardous substances.

Besides the safety data sheet, labelling is the most important means of hazard communication.

The CLP Regulation also imposes certain requirements on the packaging of hazardous substances and mixtures, as well as on the presentation.

The classification and labelling inventory

The Classification and Labelling Inventory is a database managed by the European Chemicals Agency. It contains classification information on substances marketed in the EU. This information comes from registrations under the REACH Regulation and from notifications under Article 40 of the CLP Regulation. It also integrates the list of harmonised classification and labelling (Annex VI of the CLP Regulation).

Communications for the Poisons Information Centres

According to Article 45 of the CLP Regulation, companies placing hazardous mixtures on the market are obliged to provide information on certain hazardous mixtures to the national appointed bodies. The notified bodies forward this information to the Poisons Information Centres so that they can make recommendations in an emergency.

Tasks of the Federal Office for Chemicals (BfC)

The Federal Office for Chemicals (Bundestelle für Chemikalien), based in the BAuA, is designated as the national competent authority for CLP.

Its tasks include submitting proposals for harmonisation of classification and labelling to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and contributing to the draft amendment regulations to the CLP Regulation in CARACAL (meeting of national competent authorities, ECHA and the EU Commission).

In addition, the BfC operates the CLP Helpdesk, which provides manufacturers and users with assistance around the CLP Regulation, and it is involved in the production of European guidance documents on the implementation and application of the CLP Regulation.