Finding CLP classifications on the ECHA website

There are several routes to finding CLP classifications on the ECHA website:

• The REACH dossiers can be accessed directly from https://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals/registered-substances .
• The Classification and Labelling Inventory can be accessed directly from https://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals/cl-inventory-database .
• The chemical search box on the front page of the ECHA website at https://echa.europa.eu/ .

Generally, the chemical search box is the easiest way to look for chemical substance information, as it brings up all of the relevant information in one place, although you can have several steps to get you to the database you want to view.

When you search using the chemical search box, a summary page called the Infocard is brought up, and ECHA’s theory is that you should be able to use the data on the Infocard page as-is.  Back in the real world, we do not recommend you do this.

What has happened is that ECHA have produced the Infocard classification by collating information from various sources to provide a classification, and this means that there can be more hazard classifications on the Infocard than a substance actually has, because of differing opinions.

We strongly recommend that you do not use the Infocard information, but scroll down to the relevant database you wish to use, and click on the link to access it.  We have produced a factsheet on the Infocard and how to read it at: Infocards from ECHA v2.1.

You may wonder why we recommend you use the chemical search box, if the Infocard information can be misleading.  The reason is that using this route, you can see all of the information about a substance in one place, e.g. whether it has a Harmonised Classification, whether it has been registered for REACH, whether it is Authorised or Restricted, etc.  If you search directly on the REACH dossiers or C&L Inventory databases, you may miss important information.