CLP: towards strengthening classification of bisphenol A [EU]

In a press release issued on 19 March 2014, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) supported a French proposal to strengthen existing harmonised classification and labelling (CLH) of bisphenol A (BPA) from a category 2 reproductive toxicant (suspected to be toxic for human reproduction) to a category 1B (assumed to be toxic for human reproduction) concerning the adverse effects on sexual function and fertility.

In order to develop its opinion, RAC compared the available evidence (mainly obtained from studies performed according to standard test guidelines) with the CLP criteria.

For information, BPA is also currently being discussed in the context of other EU processes, following a proposal to restrict its use in thermal paper and an evaluation carried out by the German competent authority in 2012 which led to an ECHA request for further data on BPA in the areas of skin absorption and environmental exposure.

As a reminder, in a press release issued on 4 March 2014, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the release of a new update to the Classification & Labelling (C&L) Inventory, aiming to improve the information visualised on the summary of the classification and labelling page, with a view to enhance the user-friendliness and readability of the database.

Sources : European Chemicals Agency press release, “RAC proposes to strengthen the classification of bisphenol A”, ECHA/PR/14/07, 19 March 2014

Red-on-line EHS Legal Counsel