EU Inspectors to Check Product Labels for Hazardous Mixtures

On 17 June 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced a new EU-wide project, REF-14, to ensure that products containing hazardous mixtures are correctly classified, labelled and packaged. This initiative aims to protect consumers, especially children, from chemical hazards in everyday products such as air fresheners and electronic cigarettes. The inspections will check compliance with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, including requirements for child-resistant packaging and accurate hazard reporting to poison centres.

Addressing Mislabelling Issues

The project was initiated after it was found that many consumer products are not properly classified and labelled, which fails to inform consumers about potential hazards and safe use. The checks will focus on widely available products known to contain hazardous mixtures, such as nicotine products containing acutely toxic substances and air fresheners containing sensitising or irritating substances. Preparations for REF-14 will occur in 2025, with inspections expected to start in 2026.

Background on the Enforcement Forum

The Enforcement Forum and its Biocides Subgroup is a network of enforcement authorities from the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). They coordinate the enforcement of regulations such as REACH, CLP, PIC, POPs and the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR) to protect health and the environment while ensuring a level playing field for companies in the EU market.

Pilot Project on Only Representatives

The ECHA Enforcement Forum has also agreed on an enforcement pilot project focusing on Only Representatives (ORs) registering imported substances. This project will target free riders and potentially fraudulent operators to ensure fair competition between companies in different EU countries. Inspectors will verify the correct registration of substance tonnage, as under-registration can result in insufficient information for proper risk management. The project will also check that Only Representatives keep accurate records of importers and comply with safety data sheet (SDS) obligations.

Increased Transparency and Ongoing Efforts

In order to increase transparency, the Enforcement Forum has decided to publicly broadcast future stakeholder workshops where the results and recommendations of enforcement projects will be presented. This initiative aims to raise awareness of compliance issues and the work of enforcement authorities. Both the Forum and its Biocides Subgroup (BPRS) provided guidance on ongoing projects and reviewed the results of national enforcement campaigns during their recent meeting held on 10-14 June 2024. The next meeting is scheduled for November 2024.