ECHA holds consultation to classify & label two chemicals
23 Feb '09
2 min read
ECHA has today published on its website the first public consultation on a proposal to harmonize the classification and labeling of two chemical substances. Comments are welcome on the proposal within the next 45 days. All comments will be taken into account in the subsequent decision-making process.
The two substances in this consultation are: • Epoxiconazole – a pesticide, used in agriculture to control types of fungus • Diantimony trioxide – used as a flame retardant in plastics, PVC, rubber and textiles; as an additive in glass; and in the manufacture of igments and paints. The Swedish authorities have submitted to ECHA comprehensive dossiers on these two substances and asked for their classification and labelling to be harmonised across the European Union.
EU-wide harmonization: In line with the REACH regulation, ECHA´s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) will take all the comments into account when it forms its scientific opinion on the Swedish proposals. The scientific opinion and any comments will be sent to the European Commission.
The European Commission, involving the REACH regulatory committee of representatives of the EU Member States, will then decide whether the classification and labelling of Epoxiconazole and Diantimony trioxide will be harmonised across the EU.
If the classification and labelling of these two substances is harmonised, suppliers across Europe must in future classify and label them (on their own or in mixtures) in the specified way before placing them on the market.
Further proposals expected: The current consultation is the first one on harmonised classification and labelling after the adoption of the new EU law passed in 2008 (Regulation EC/1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures). As ECHA's RAC committee is already reviewing new proposals from member states, it is expected that further consultations will follow, and these will all be handled in the same way.
About ECHA: The European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki, Finland, manages the REACH Regulation and the recently adopted Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation. Together, they form the foundation for ECHA – with the aim of protecting human health and the environment, and ensuring the competitiveness of European industry. An important means to achieving this goal is to provide information which ensures the safe use of chemicals.
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