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Chemical Safety Data Sheet

Overview

Chemical Safety Data Sheet - Overview

Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations profoundly affect the way companies do business in the European Union (EU).

REACH introduced new information requirements on the conditions for the safe use of chemicals or mixtures in the supply chain. The new requirements apply only to substances or mixtures meeting the criteria for hazardous classification per the EU system of Classification, Labeling, and Packaging (CLP) regulation for chemical substances and mixtures (EC Regulation 1272/2008), as amended.

The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Extended Safety Data Sheet (eSDS) provide a mechanism for transmitting appropriate safety information on substances and mixtures covering end-to-end crucial Regulatory information covering areas like trade, storage, accidental, hazardous classification, and disposal.

Formulators must check whether the foreseeable uses of their customers are covered by the exposure scenarios they receive.

An eSDS for a substance supplied to formulators would contain exposure scenarios if the exposure assessment was mandatory for the registration of the substance. Formulators must assess whether the foreseeable uses of the customers are covered in the exposure scenarios of the substances.

If the exposure scenarios of the substances do not cover the uses of the mixtures, the formulator has several possible follow-up tasks. At least one actor in the supply chain must do the exposure assessment, risk characterization, and identification of the conditions for safe use if there is no exemption Art. 37.4 is applicable.

The SDS will be extended for the substance or mixture with detailed exposure scenarios, which describe the operational conditions and risk management measures to control the risks for all identified uses.

Hence, eSDS = SDS + Exposure Scenario, which is to be supplied, if a hazardous substance is registered in a quantity ≥ 10 tonnes per year per registrant.

There are two (02) approaches for identifying the correct information to append. These have seen the light with the industry’s collaborative efforts to define new processes for meeting the new obligations. The approaches are:

  1. Bottom-up Approach/Safe Use of Mixture Information (SUMI): The approach starts with the users at the bottom of the supply chain. It is a qualitative method to convey information regarding the safe use and preventive measures to be followed by the downstream users. The downstream users of the chemicals coordination group led the development of this approach.
  1. Top-down Approach/Lead Component Identification (LCID): It is a quantitative approach and starts with the data from the substance supplier at the top of the supply chain. When no SUMI is available, the LCID method calculates the components in a mixture that contribute the greatest hazards.

These approaches are a major step for communicating safe use information for hazardous substances and mixtures down the supply chain. REACH does not specify when information from eSDS must be incorporated into the communications. However, REACH requires that SDSs must be updated “without delay.”

Companies should now evaluate their procedures to ensure that they are addressing the new flows of information in the eSDS as well as in the annexes or SUMIs that their suppliers provide. Enforcement authorities continue to demonstrate tolerance regarding the timeline obligations of REACH as it is evident that the industry is making good progress and working diligently towards implementing new processes for compliance with this very complex and new set of requirements.

Freyr’s experts, with due diligence, can provide support in the generation of eSDS for hazardous chemicals and mixtures.

 

Freyr Expertise and Advantages
Expertise

Chemical Safety Data Sheet Freyr Expertise

  • Preparation & Management of Extended Safety Data Sheet (eSDS).
  • Identification of Exposure Scenario (ES) Parameters Based on eSDS or CSR of the Substance or the Hazardous Component Present in the Mixture.
  • Identification of Use Conditions for ES.
  • Identification of Parameters/Values with Respect to the Use of Models and Specific Information from the Evaluation Process.
  • Interpretation of the Parameters and Applying Practical Occupational Conditions/Risk-management Measures.
  • Compatible Formatting as per the Best Industrial Practices.