3.1 Introduction to Chemicals as Dangerous and Manageable Products
45
of substances and mixtures is based on categories that take into account the degree
of danger and the specific nature of hazardous properties.
The European (EC) No 1272/2008 concerning the classification, labeling, and
packaging of chemical products (also defined CLP Regulation) (European Parliament
and Council 2008; SSTI 2013) provides 28 classes of danger in which substances
and mixtures are distributed, according to their physical effects and their effects on
health and the environment. Substances and mixtures which meet the criteria for
physical, health, or environmental hazards, as set out in the CLP Regulation, are
deemed to be dangerous. It should be remembered that CLP Regulation (European
Parliament and Council 2008; SSTI 2013) is inspired by a recommendation of the
United Nations, ‘The General Harmonized System’ (GHS). These criteria (UN 2019)
may be different depending on old or new classification systems, as shown in Fig. 3.1.
In general, the label constitutes the first essential and concise information provided
to the user on dangers and on precautions to be taken during use. The CLP Regulation (European Parliament and Council 2008) defines how substances, mixtures
and mixtures must be classified, labeled, and packaged. However, in the workplace
or at home, there may be danger labels that meet the European pre-existing system
according to the repealed Directive 67/548/EEC (Council of the European Economic
Pre-existing EU Directives
(15 categories)
New CLP Regulation
(28 categories)
PHYSICAL
HAZARD
HEALTH
HAZARD
ENVIRON
MENTAL
HAZARD
Explosives (Unstable explosives) - Flammable gases –
Aerosols - Oxidising gases - Gases under pressure -
Flammable liquids - Flammable solids - Self-reactive
substances and mixtures
Pyrophoric liquids - Pyrophoric solids - Self-heating
substances and mixtures
Substances and mixtures which in contact with water emit
flammable gases -Oxidising liquids - Oxidising solids
Organic peroxides - Corrosive to metals
Desensitised explosives
Acute toxicity - Skin corrosion/irritation
Serious eye damage/eye irritation
Respiratory or skin sensitisation
Germ cell mutagenicity - Carcinogenicity
Reproductive toxicity
Specific target organ toxicity (STOT) – single
exposure
Specific target organ toxicity (STOT) –
repeated exposure
Aspiration hazard
Hazardous to the aquatic environment
Hazardous to the ozone layer
Explosives
Combustible agents
Extremely flammable
compounds
Highly flammable compounds
Flammable substances
Very toxic compounds
Toxic substances - Harmful
compounds
Corrosive substances - Irritant
agents
Sensitising agents -
Cancerogens
Mutagens - Reprotoxic
substances
Dangerous substances for the
environment
Fig. 3.1 Old and new classification of dangerous substances and mixtures in the European Union.
This table has been realized by Carmelo Parisi, currently a student at the Liceo Scientifico Stanislao
Cannizzaro, Palermo, Italy
45
of substances and mixtures is based on categories that take into account the degree
of danger and the specific nature of hazardous properties.
The European (EC) No 1272/2008 concerning the classification, labeling, and
packaging of chemical products (also defined CLP Regulation) (European Parliament
and Council 2008; SSTI 2013) provides 28 classes of danger in which substances
and mixtures are distributed, according to their physical effects and their effects on
health and the environment. Substances and mixtures which meet the criteria for
physical, health, or environmental hazards, as set out in the CLP Regulation, are
deemed to be dangerous. It should be remembered that CLP Regulation (European
Parliament and Council 2008; SSTI 2013) is inspired by a recommendation of the
United Nations, ‘The General Harmonized System’ (GHS). These criteria (UN 2019)
may be different depending on old or new classification systems, as shown in Fig. 3.1.
In general, the label constitutes the first essential and concise information provided
to the user on dangers and on precautions to be taken during use. The CLP Regulation (European Parliament and Council 2008) defines how substances, mixtures
and mixtures must be classified, labeled, and packaged. However, in the workplace
or at home, there may be danger labels that meet the European pre-existing system
according to the repealed Directive 67/548/EEC (Council of the European Economic
Pre-existing EU Directives
(15 categories)
New CLP Regulation
(28 categories)
PHYSICAL
HAZARD
HEALTH
HAZARD
ENVIRON
MENTAL
HAZARD
Explosives (Unstable explosives) - Flammable gases –
Aerosols - Oxidising gases - Gases under pressure -
Flammable liquids - Flammable solids - Self-reactive
substances and mixtures
Pyrophoric liquids - Pyrophoric solids - Self-heating
substances and mixtures
Substances and mixtures which in contact with water emit
flammable gases -Oxidising liquids - Oxidising solids
Organic peroxides - Corrosive to metals
Desensitised explosives
Acute toxicity - Skin corrosion/irritation
Serious eye damage/eye irritation
Respiratory or skin sensitisation
Germ cell mutagenicity - Carcinogenicity
Reproductive toxicity
Specific target organ toxicity (STOT) – single
exposure
Specific target organ toxicity (STOT) –
repeated exposure
Aspiration hazard
Hazardous to the aquatic environment
Hazardous to the ozone layer
Explosives
Combustible agents
Extremely flammable
compounds
Highly flammable compounds
Flammable substances
Very toxic compounds
Toxic substances - Harmful
compounds
Corrosive substances - Irritant
agents
Sensitising agents -
Cancerogens
Mutagens - Reprotoxic
substances
Dangerous substances for the
environment
Fig. 3.1 Old and new classification of dangerous substances and mixtures in the European Union.
This table has been realized by Carmelo Parisi, currently a student at the Liceo Scientifico Stanislao
Cannizzaro, Palermo, Italy