EDC-Free Europe coalition welcomes the updated guidance from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), now including new hazard classes in application of the revised Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation). With these hazard classes for endocrine disruptors, the EU has taken an important leadership role to translate science into policy, marking the first time such hazard classes have been introduced in legislation anywhere in the world. This guidance should now be put into practice to ensure harmful properties are identified, and people are informed about the presence and potential dangers of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in products and work environments. 

This revision under the CLP Regulation applies to all chemical substances, mixtures, biocidal products, and plant protection products, placed on the EU market. Binding across the EU, the revision impacts manufacturers, importers, downstream users, and distributors, who must now adhere to updated classification, labeling, and packaging requirements. Member States will also use these new hazard classes and criteria when proposing harmonized classifications. 

The new hazard classes for EDCs establish two hazard categories for both human health and the environment: 

  • Known or presumed endocrine disruptors – May cause endocrine disruption in humans and/or the environment 
  • Suspected endocrine disruptors – Suspected of causing endocrine disruption in humans and/or the environment  

This regulatory move, effective from April 2023, also added hazard classes for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances, as well as very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) chemicals, which pose long-term environmental risks. These updates are aligned with the European Union (EU) broader Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. 

In practice, manufacturers will need to update safety labels, packaging, and data sheets, ensuring consumers and workers are better informed about hazardous substances. Additionally, the regulation allows better harmonisation of hazard information across various EU regulations like REACH, aiding in the safer management of chemicals in industries like pesticides, food packaging, and consumer products. 

The EDC-Free Europe coalition calls on companies to assess the EDC properties and adhere to the new hazard classes throughout their supply chains. Furthermore, Member States should step up the efforts to identify EDCs and reduce exposures to better protect citizen`s health and the environment. 

To learn more about our recommendations for faster identification of EDCs and the critical actions needed to safeguard human health and the environment from EDC-related harm, read the EDC-Free Europe statement: Seven priorities to protect people and environment from endocrine-disrupting chemicals. 

For a comprehensive overview, further explore the new hazard classes and the legal compliance deadlines under the revised CLP Regulation, and join the webinar on 21 November 2024 ‘Introduction to ECHA's guidance on new CLP hazard classes’