A brief guide to CLP

From 1 December 2010, the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation progressively replaced the Dangerous Substances and Dangerous Preparations Directives (DSD, DPD) which were repealed from 1 June 2015.

CLP introduced significant changes to hazard classification and communication: revised classification criteria; Hazard and Precautionary Statements rather than Risk and Safety Phrases; larger and more colourful labels; nine pictograms rather than six warning symbols, and the retirement of the St. Andrew’s Cross. Some chemicals not subject to hazard labelling under the old classification and labelling regime now need labelling; some chemicals which previously carried relatively mild warnings now need to be labelled in a more severe way. In theory, because CLP is based on the UN’s Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (the GHS), it should ease the challenge of global marketing where costs in developing local labels are huge as more jurisdictions implement their own system based on the GHS.