Replacement of the CHIP Regulations with the CLP Regulation

The CHIP 4 Regulations are gradually being replaced by the European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures — known as the CLP Regulation.

The CLP Regulation implements the United Nations’ Globally Harmonised System (GHS). At present there are different laws across the world controlling how the hazardous properties of chemicals are described and how this information is given to those using them. This can be confusing because one chemical can have different descriptions in different countries. For example, a chemical can be labelled as flammable in one country but not in another. The GHS aims to provide more uniform global criteria for classifying and identifying hazardous substances.

The CLP Regulation is directly-acting in all EU member states. This means that it does not need to be enacted in UK regulations in order to become law. It became law in January 2009 but it is being introduced over a lengthy transitional period. The CLP Regulation became mandatory on 1 December 2010 for substances, but will not come into force until 1 June 2015 for mixtures. At that point the CHIP 4 Regulations will be repealed in full in the UK.

During the current period of dual running of CHIP 4 and CLP, suppliers can choose whether to classify and label according to CHIP 4, using CHIP symbols (black on orange squares), or CLP, using CLP symbols (black symbols on white with a red diamond-shaped border).