How to read CLP classifications notified to the C&L Inventory

CLP classifications notified to the Classification and Label (C&L) Inventory can be accessed directly by searching the inventory itself, or by carrying out a chemical search from the first page of the ECHA website.

Whichever route you use, the C&L Inventory page for that substance will appear on screen.  The C & L inventory overall layout shows the data in a series of tables.  There are three possible sections to a C & L inventory entry:

• If the substance has a Harmonised Classification, this will be shown at the top of the page with blue headers.
• There may also be Seveso classification information in this blue header section, if the substance with the Harmonised Classification is also Seveso (COMAH)-liable.
• Underneath the Harmonised Classification section, or at the top of the page, if the substance does not have an HC, are the notified classifications, which have been made by people making or importing the substance, and these have orange headers.

Reading C & L data – overall layout (click on image to enlarge it).

This infographic can be downloaded as a pdf: Reading C&L data – overall layout

Where a substance holds a Harmonised Classification, this specific information comprises substance identifiers, CLP classification and labelling information, signal word and pictograms, and is laid out like this:

Reading C & L data – Harmonised Classifications (click on image to enlarge it).

This infographic can be downloaded as a pdf: Reading C&L data – harmonised classification data .

Where a substance with a Harmonised Classification is also Seveso (COMAH) liable, this extra information comprising the Seveso categories is laid out like this:

Reading C & L data – Seveso classifications (click on image to enlarge it).

This infographic can be downloaded as a pdf: Reading C&L data – Seveso classification data .

The notified classifications information comprises the substance identifiers at the top of the page, and then sets of information for each notified classification, which includes the CLP classification and labelling information: whether impurities affect the classification; any additional information notified (such as the IUPAC name or the physical form of the substance); the number of notifiers who have agreed with that classification; whether the notification comes from a REACH registration (“joint entries”), and a link to the detailed notification.  The layout is:

Reading C & L data – notified classifications (click on image to enlarge it).

This infographic can be downloaded as a pdf: Reading C&L data – notified classifications

Should you wish to check on the fine details of the notification, the detailed notification comprises two sections: a general section, and one on detailed information on classification and labelling:

Detailed C & L notification classification layout (click on image to enlarge it).

The general section contains similar information to the Harmonised Classification information, that is substance identifiers, CLP classification and labelling information, signal word and pictograms, and also whether the classification is affected by impurities:

General information section of details of notified classification in C & L inventory (click on image to enlarge it).

The detailed information on classification and labelling sections comprises information on the physical, health and environmental hazards of the substance, including a list of all hazard categories, whether the substance is classified in that category and the associated hazard statement code (eg Acute Tox 1, H300), and where it is not classified, the reason why not (e.g. “data lacking”, which means it hasn’t been tested for that end point by the notifier, or “conclusive but not sufficient for classification”, which means that it has been tested but is below the threshold to be classified – although you are assuming that the notifier has filled the C & L form in correctly).  There are also sections available for additional hazard statements (EUH statements); labelling information; and notes.  The layout is:

Notified classification to C & L inventory, classification and labelling details (click on image to enlarge it).

These three infographics can be downloaded as a single pdf: Detailed C&L notified classifications.

It is very important to remember that CLP classifications notified to the Classification and Labelling Inventory are simply opinions, and as data is not provided, you cannot tell whether these opinions are accurate or not.  It is possible to check whether a notified C&L entry is good quality, see: Is a CLI entry good quality.  Even if you check the detailed information on the entry, you are relying on the notifier to have filled it in accurately.  If you are choosing a classification based on a REACH registration, we recommend that you check the REACH dossier to make sure it is good quality and reliable, see https://ttenvironmenta.wpengine.com/clp-knowledgebase/how-to-read-clp-classifications-in-reach-dossiers/ .

As with any part of CLP classification, you should keep all of your notes on why you have chosen a specific CLP classification from the C&L Inventory.