The European Commission has updated the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation with the following hazard classes:
- ED HH in Category 1 and Category 2 ( Endocrine disruption for human health)
- ED ENV in Category 1 and Category 2 ( Endocrine disruption for the environment)
- PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic), vPvB (very persistent, very bioaccumulative)
- PMT (persistent, mobile, toxic), vPvM (very persistent, very mobile)
The new regulations will take effect on April 20, 2023. Manufacturers, importers, downstream users and distributors will now be able to classify their substances and mixtures themselves according to the new hazard classes proposed by Member States for harmonised classification and labelling (CLH).
For substances, companies will have to comply with the new rules from May 1, 2025, but for chemicals that have been on the EU market before, they have until November 1, 2026.
For mixtures, different transition periods apply. While companies have until May 1, 2028, to update classification and labelling for existing mixtures, the new hazard classes for new mixtures apply from May 1, 2026.
In collaboration with EFSA, ECHA is preparing an update of the Guidance on the application of the CLP criteria, including guidance on the new hazard classes. Following stakeholder consultations, publication of the updated guidance is planned for mid 2024.
Until then, the following guidance can be used:
- For endocrine disruptors: EFSA/ECHA Guidance for the identification of endocrine disruptors in the context of Regulations (EU) No 528/2012 and EC No 1107/2009 https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5311
- For persistence and bioaccumulation: Guidance on Information Requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment, Part C: PBT/vPvB assessment (R11), Version 3.0, June 2017 https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/17235/information_requirements_part_c_en.pdf/e56a6015-807e-46eb-b808-e5a7dc9fd572?t=1498474748441
