ECHA Publishes New Guidance on Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) last Friday issued yet another new guidance document related to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) regulations.  The newest guidance document "gives more details on labelling and packaging than the earlier Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria."

In particular, the guidance clarifies:

• what aspects to consider when estimating the label size needed;
• what types of supplemental information are possible, and where to place this information on the label;
• the conditions for small packaging exemptions;
• the interaction between CLP and the transport labelling rules;
• how to select the most appropriate set of precautionary statements for the label;
• the transitional provisions for substances and mixtures already on the market.

According to ECHA, "the new stand-alone guidance document replaces the sections dealing with labelling and selection of precautionary statements of the existing Guidance on the Application of the CLP Criteria."

The Guidance on Labelling and Packaging can be downloaded as a PDF document here.