98 substances added to Great Britain Mandatory Classification and Labelling List

The UK Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progress (MfSMYP) has, taken a key decision on the classification and labelling of 98 chemical substances in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). This decision was taken after the Secretary of State accepted the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with the agreement of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers. This move brings significant changes to the GB Mandatory Classification and Labelling (GB MCL) list, which was officially updated on 20 October 2023 under Article 37 of the GB CLP Regulation.

Details of the decision

The Ministerial decision, taken in consultation with the devolved governments, falls under Article 37 of the GB CLP Regulation. This process primarily involves the administrative task of incorporating new and revised GB MCLs into the existing list. Summaries of these updated classifications are now available in the GB CLP publication table which can be found here together with the date of entry into force (20 October 2023) and the date of compliance (20 April 2025).

This decision is based on the scientific and technical evaluation of the available information which identified the intrinsic hazards of these 98 substances. The technical reports of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have highlighted these intrinsic hazards, while the impact and policy assessments outlined in the Agency's opinions have not identified any significant impacts.

First proposal

This is the first batch of substances added to the GB MCL after Brexit. The classifications are based on opinions published by the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) risk assessment committee (RAC) in 2019 and 2020 before the end of the Brexit transition period. The proposal was notified to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in April 2023.

Future proposals

On 24 August 2023, the HSE notified the WTO of their intention to add a second batch of 26 substances to the GB MCL. The list of substances can be found here. The proposed date of adoption for these substances is the first quarter of 2024. The classification would come into force on a voluntary basis at the time of adoption and become mandatory in the third quarter of 2025. A third proposal is expected to come soon.