EU Poison Centres: What’s changing?

Poison Centres play an important role in ensuring the safe use of chemicals by providing vital information in case of a poisoning incident. EU Poison Centres answer an average of 600,000 calls each year in response to accidental exposure, providing medical advice to general consumers and physicians when health emergencies arise from exposure to hazardous chemicals. Up until recently, industry requirements relating to Poison Centres differed between member states, however, under Article 45 of the CLP Regulation the requirements on industry are set to change with the aim of harmonisation of requirements across the EU.

Under CLP Implementing Regulation, importers and downstream users placing hazardous mixtures on the market will be responsible for submitting information to Poison Centres in the relevant Member State(s) with new online tools and a harmonised EU format aiming to help companies to submit this information. Once the draft Implementing Regulation is adopted, deadlines for the submissions will apply in a stepwise manner depending on the intended use of the mixture. A distinction will be made between mixtures for consumer use, professional use and industrial use with more information than ever before having to be disclosed on the composition of relevant mixtures.

The differing deadlines depending on the intended use of the mixture are as follows:

• Consumer Use - January 2020

• Professional Use - January 2021

• Industrial Use - January 2024

Companies who will need to make submissions to the Poison Centres under the upcoming legislation are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the requirements, get to know the required submission format and consider how to implement this in their systems.

Contact our Hazard Communication team on +44(0)1524 510278 to find out more on how we can help you and your company with the latest Poison Centre requirements.