2024 CLP Regulation Update: Enhancing Chemical Label Safety and Readability

In April 2024, the European Parliament passed significant revisions to the Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP regulation) of chemicals, aiming to enhance the readability and transparency of chemical labels. These amendments updated hazard classification, label design, and packaging requirements, particularly concerning chemical safety information, to help consumers and workers better understand potential risks when using chemicals.

Background and Objective

The CLP regulation (Regulation (EC) 1272/2008) was established by the EU on December 16, 2008. Its primary purpose is to ensure that all chemicals, including individual substances and mixtures, are accurately classified, labelled, and their hazards effectively communicated. The regulation harmonizes the classification, labelling, and packaging requirements for chemicals sold on the EU market.

Manufacturers, importers, and downstream users must classify their products by the regulation and provide appropriate labels and packaging based on the classification, especially for hazardous chemicals, thereby ensuring the protection of human health and environmental safety.

Additionally, the regulation incorporates the UN Global Harmonized System (GHS) for chemical classification and labelling into EU law, fostering global consistency in the communication of chemical hazards.

According to the regulation, CLP regulation labels should be securely attached to one or more surfaces of the packaging and be readable, containing essential elements such as:

● Supplier name, address, and contact information

● The nominal quantity of substances or mixtures in the packaging

● Product identifier

● Hazard pictograms

● Signal words

● Hazard statements

● Appropriate precautionary statements

● Additional information

With advancements in technology and increasing safety demands, the EU revised the regulation in April 2024, focusing on improving the clarity, transparency, and readability of labels, making it easier for consumers and professionals to understand the potential hazards of chemicals.

The key goals of these revisions include:

● Enhancing the readability and recognizability of chemical labels to ensure users can quickly identify hazards

● Increasing the transparency of hazardous information to help users better understand the risks associated with chemicals

● Strengthening protections for specific groups, such as household users, industrial workers, and emergency responders, to ensure proper safety during chemical handling.

New Hazard Categories and Chemical Label Requirements

A critical part of the revisions is the introduction of new hazard categories and specific improvements to label design, especially for new or previously unclassified hazards. This includes:

1. New Hazard Categories

The revisions add new hazard categories to the CLP regulation, covering a broader range of chemicals and products. For example:

● Long-term environmental hazards: Chemicals that pose long-term threats to ecosystems, such as water and soil pollution, especially harm to aquatic life, will fall under a new category. This change reflects a focus on ecological protection and sustainability.

● Endocrine disruptors: Chemicals that may interfere with the human hormone system will be marked with new labels and warnings. This category highlights the potential effects on human health, especially reproductive and developmental health.

● Cytotoxic substances: Chemicals with cytotoxic properties will have distinct labelling to alert users to possible damage to cell growth and repair.

2. Improvements in Chemical Label Design

To improve readability and transparency of safety information, the updated CLP regulation imposes new design and layout requirements for labels:

● Clearer icons and warning phrases: Hazard symbols and warning phrases (e.g., "carcinogenic", "flammable", "corrosive") are optimized for easier understanding.

● Refined hazard categories: Labels will use different colors, icons, and texts based on the type of hazard, enabling users to quickly identify the nature of the danger. New categories such as endocrine disruptors and cytotoxic substances will have dedicated symbols and clear markings.

● Emphasis on dose and exposure routes: Labels will clearly indicate the potential health risks related to chemical exposure, such as through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion.

● QR codes and digital information: Some chemical labels will feature QR codes, providing users with more detailed safety data and usage guidelines when scanned. This can significantly improve information efficiency, particularly in emergency situations.

3. Simplification and Standardization

The revision also calls for simplification and standardization of label information to avoid redundancy or overly complex warnings. This includes:

● Avoiding excessive repetition: Labels for similar hazards will avoid redundant warnings, focusing only on the most relevant hazard information.

● Unified symbols and text: Symbols, fonts, and text descriptions used on chemical labels will be standardized to ensure consistency across all EU member states, reducing confusion caused by language and cultural differences.

With the revision of the CLP regulation, EU businesses, especially chemical manufacturers and suppliers, must update their product labels to comply with the new requirements.

This means redesigning labels, adding new hazard symbols, and allocating more resources for review and reprinting. Failure to update labels according to the new standards could result in fines or legal action, making it crucial for companies to comply with the new regulations promptly.

Currently, chemical labels, especially those for hazardous waste, are often printed on durable synthetic materials such as PET, PP, and PE. These materials offer excellent durability and corrosion resistance, allowing labels to withstand harsh environments like outdoor conditions, high temperatures, humidity, and oil contamination.

To ensure label printing quality and compliance, chemical manufacturers need to choose reliable industrial thermal transfer printers.

Depending on the required print size, common sizes like 70 x 70mm and 100 x 100mm can be printed using 4-inch industrial label printers. For larger sizes, such as 150mm x 150mm, typically used on large containers like barrels or tanks, an 6-inch industrial printer is recommended.

When selecting a industrial thermal printer, factors such as resolution, print speed, positioning accuracy, and durability should be considered. It is also essential to pay attention to energy efficiency and ease of maintenance.

Conclusion

The CLP regulation revision passed in April 2024 has strengthened the transparency and readability of chemical labels, especially with the introduction of new hazard categories and labelling requirements, further enhancing the safety of consumers and professionals.

For businesses, complying with the new standards and updating labels is not only a necessary step for legal compliance but also an important strategy to improve market competitiveness and brand credibility.