The start of 2021 brought many changes to the chemical safety legislation that companies need to comply with. Are you up to date?
Why is correct chemical management important?
From a compliance perspective, the changes are crucial. Even minor amendments in chemical safety protocol can lead to potentially costly mistakes that could seriously affect your company’s reputation and financial bearings.
Proper chemical management is equally important when it comes to keeping your workers safe, and certain substances have the potential to cause damage to property and the environment as well as severe damage to health.
What areas of chemical safety have been affected?
The wide reach of legislation that applies to chemical management across the UK and EU means there are a several different areas that have been affected by the changes.
The amendments to legislation apply largely to Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), with fewer regulatory changes in Northern Ireland who for the most part will operate under EU rules.
The following areas of legislation have been affected by Brexit:
- CLP: Classification, labelling, and packaging of substances and chemicals
- REACH: Registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals
- Biocides: Authorisation of biocidal substances and products
- PIC: Prior Informed Consent
- PPP: Pesticides or Plant Protection Products
If your company has a requirement to comply with any of these legislations, then you need to check the changes that were introduced at the start of 2021.
EU List of harmonised classification and labelling entries updated
The EU has issued an ATP (adaptation to technical and scientific progress) to revise the CLP Regulation.
On May 28, 2021, the EU published Regulation (EU) 2021/849 as an ATP to amend Part 3 to Annex VI of Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures.
The latest amendments include important changes to the list of chemicals falling under Annex XVI to the CLP Regulation:
- 22 new entries have been added, including citric acid (CAS 77-92-9)
- 41 entries have been replaced
- 1 entry has been deleted: Index No. 015-192-0001 on tetrakis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-m-phenylene biphosphate
The latest ATP entered into force on 17th June, 2021 and the new law will become effective on 17th December, 2022 – substances and mixtures may be classified, labelled and packaged in accordance with this amendment from the date of entry into force.
If you work with hazardous chemicals you should check the list to see if your business may be affected by these updates.
New Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List 2021 Now Available
The new EAC List, produced by the NCEC, in co-operation with the UK Home Office is available free to download.
The EAC List 2021 is effective immediately in connection with the use of ADR/RID 2021 Edition and is mandatory from 1 July 2021. The Emergency Action Code List 2019 should no longer be used from that date.
The EAC List 2021 includes:
- The new UN numbers (3497-3506)
- Updates for the UN Numbers which were reviewed in ADR 2021
- Revised codes for infectious substances and UN Numbers not applicable to the carriage of dangerous goods under RID or ADR
- Improved recommendations for thermal hazards
Duty holders are required to use the 2021 EAC List for the application of the appropriate EACs under Schedule 1 of the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009; and of the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.
How Can Hibiscus Help?
Hibiscus has been producing labels and software specifically for hazardous substances for over 40 years.
We can offer assistance with the labelling of your products and provide a range of solutions to make it easier to comply with the latest regulations.
We also provide software for the creation and management of labels and Safety Data Sheets and the classification of chemicals.
For further information, call us on 0113 242 4272
Email: Enquiries@hibiscus-plc.com
If you’re looking to print your own labels, we can provide the appropriate substrates and printers to enable your labels to be BS5609-compliant.
Contact us today.