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The European product categorisation system: A practical guide
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The European product categorisation system: A practical guide June 2018
2 EuPCS: a practical guide Disclaimer This document aims to assist users in complying with their obligations under the CLP Regulation, in particular to Article 45 and Annex VIII. However, users are reminded that the text of the CLP Regulation is the only authentic legal reference and that the information in this document does not constitute legal advice. Usage of the information remains under the sole responsibility of the user. The European Chemicals Agency does not accept any liability with regard to the use that may be made of the information contained in this document.
Version Changes 1.0 First version June 2018 The European product categorisation system: A practical guide Reference: ECHA-18-H-18-EN ISBN: 978-92-9020-599-9 Cat. Number: ED-01-18-643-EN-N DOI: 10.2823/552626 Publ.date: June 2018 Language: EN © European Chemicals Agency, 2018 Cover page © European Chemicals Agency If you have questions or comments in relation to this document please send them (quote the reference and issue date) using the information request form. The information request form can be accessed via the Contact ECHA page at: http://echa.europa.eu/contact European Chemicals Agency Mailing address: P.O.
Box 400, FI-00121 Helsinki, Finland Visiting address: Annankatu 18, Helsinki, Finland
EuPCS: a practical guide 3 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION . 5 1.1 What is this practical guide about . 5 1.2 Background . 5 2. PRINCIPLES OF THE EUPCS . 6 2.1 Intended use . 6 2.2 Scope of the EuPCS . 6 3. STRUCTURE OF THE EUPCS . 7 3.1 Which categories can be selected . 7 3.2 EuPCS category codes . 7 3.3 End use products vs mixtures for further formulation . 7 3.4 Chemical, biocidal and plant protection products . 8 4. SELECTING THE RIGHT PRODUCT CATEGORY . 10 4.1 Products fitting multiple categories . . 10 4.2 Biocidal and plant protection products . . 11 4.3 When no suitable category exists .
. 11 4.4 Differences in assigning a product category in standard and group submissions . . 12 5. PRODUCT GROUPS . 13 5.1 Adhesives and sealants (PC-ADH . . 13 5.2 Air care products (PC-AIR . . 15 5.3 Products for animals (PC-ANI . . 16 5.4 Art materials including chemical products used for decorative purposes (PC-ART . . 17 5.5 Cleaning, care and maintenance products (excluding biocidal products) (PC-CLN . . 18 5.6 Colourants (PC-COL . . 23 5.7 Construction products (PC-CON . . 24 5.8 Detergents and auxiliaries for laundry and dishwashing (PC-DET . . 25 5.9 E-liquids and mixtures for electronic cigarettes (PC-ELQ .
. 27 5.10 Fertilisers and fertilising products (PC-FER . . 28 5.11 Fuels and fuel additives (PC-FUE . . 29 5.12 Inks, toners and related printing materials (PC-INK . . 30 5.13 Paints and coatings (and related auxiliaries) (PC-PNT . . 31 5.14 Pyrotechnic products (PC-PYR . . 32 5.15 Tattoo inks (PC-TAT . . 33 5.16 Products for chemical or technical processes (PC-TEC . . 33 5.17 Biocidal products (PP-BIO . . 35 5.18 Plant protection products (excluding biocidal products) (PP-PRD . . 38 6. UPDATES TO THE PRODUCT CATEGORISATION SYSTEM . 39 7. FURTHER INFORMATION AND SUPPORT . 39 8. ANNEX I . 40 8.1 Mapping to the REACH product categories .
4 EuPCS: a practical guide Table of Figures Figure 1: An illustration of the EuPCS category code elements to the fifth level . . 7 Figure 2: Mixtures for further formulation used to formulate end use products for consumer, professional and/or industrial end users . . 8 Figure 3: Categorisation of products in the EuPCS to the third level . . 9 Figure 4: The submitter must determine the main intended use for products fitting multiple categories. . 10 Table of Tables Table 1: Summary of the relationship between product categorisation and standard and group submissions . 13 Table 2: ‘Adhesive and sealants’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions.
. 14 Table 3: ‘Air care products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 15 Table 4: ‘Products for animals’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 16 Table 5: ‘Art materials’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 17 Table 6: ‘Cleaning, care and maintenance products (excluding biocidal products)’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions (where available . 19 Table 7: ‘Colourants’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes and descriptions . 23 Table 8: ‘Construction products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions .
24 Table 9: ‘Detergents and auxiliaries for laundry and dishwashing (excluding biocidal products)’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 26 Table 10: ‘E-liquids and mixtures for electronic cigarettes’ subcategory, including the EuPCS code and label . 28 Table 11: ‘Fertilisers and fertilising products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 28 Table 12: ‘Fuels (and fuel additives)’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 29 Table 13: ‘Inks, toners and related printing materials’ products subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions .
30 Table 14: ‘Paints and coatings (and related auxiliaries)’ products subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions . 31 Table 15: ‘Pyrotechnic products’ products subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. . 32 Table 16: ‘Tattoo inks’ products subcategory, including EuPCS code, label and description . 33 Table 17: ‘Products for chemical or technical processes’ subcategories, including codes, labels and descriptions (where available . 34 Table 18: ‘Biocidal products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes and corresponding product types according to the BPR .
36 Table 19: ‘Plant protection products’ subcategories, including codes, labels and descriptions . 38 Table 20: Proposed mapping of REACH product categories to EuPCS categories . 40
EuPCS: a practical guide 5 1. Introduction 1.1 What is this practical guide about? This guide offers support to industry concerning the harmonisation of information for the purposes of Article 45 and Annex VIII to the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008)1 with reference to the European product categorisation system (EuPCS) published on ECHA’s Poison Centres website2 . The particular focus areas of the guide are:  explaining the principles and purpose of the EuPCS;  providing detailed descriptions of individual product categories; and  highlighting those product categories where special consideration is required.
The guide does not cover the submission process or requirements other than the product category. For more information on IT tools supporting the preparation and submission of information, consult ECHA’s Poison Centres website. More information about the submission requirements can be found in the Guidance on harmonised information relating to emergency health responses3 .
1.2 Background On 20 January 2009, the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation entered into force, requiring manufacturers, importers or downstream users of substances or mixtures to classify, label and package their hazardous chemicals appropriately before placing them on the market. Article 45(1) states that the EU Member States shall appoint a body for receiving information on hazardous mixtures (including the full chemical composition) to enable the formulation of preventive and curative measures for the purposes of an emergency health response. In addition, Article 45(4) states that the Commission shall carry out a review to assess the possibility of harmonising this information.
In 2013, the review4 of the Commission services according to Article 45(4) of the CLP Regulation identified, among other information requirements, the need to develop a harmonised product categorisation system to support the submission of information. The harmonised system could assist in ensuring comparability of statistical analyses of poisoning incidents at EU level with the aim to identify where improved risk management measures may be needed. In 2016, a further study was commissioned5 to examine existing national product categorisation systems for the development of a draft proposal for harmonisation.
The harmonised system was identified to be used by industry for the preparation of information to be submitted according to Article 45, and potentially by Member States for comparable statistical analysis of incidents within the EU. In April 2017, the Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/542 came into force, amending the CLP 1 CLP Regulation: https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/clp/legislation. 2 ECHA’s Poison Centres website: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/. 3 The Guidance is expected to be finalised in December 2018 – please check the ‘Support’ page of ECHA’s Poison Centres website for more information: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/support.
4 Review of the Commission services according to Article 45(4) of the CLP Regulation: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/chemicals/poison-centres/. 5 Study on a Product Categorisation System for information to be submitted to poison centres: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/chemicals/poison-centres/.
6 EuPCS: a practical guide Regulation by adding Annex VIII6 on harmonised information relating to emergency health response. The new annex obliges importers and downstream users to submit information relating to hazardous mixtures placed on the EU market if classified for health or physical effects.
With reference to the European product categorisation system (EuPCS), Annex VIII stipulates that the “European product categorisation system is to facilitate the transmission of information on the intended use of a mixture and support the statistical analysis of related poisoning cases”. In 2017, ECHA established a focus group to finalise the EuPCS. This group was established with stakeholders from Member States (appointed bodies and poison centres), industry associations and the Commission. As a result of this work, a first version of the EuPCS was published on 20 March 2018 on ECHA’s Poison Centres website7 .
2. Principles of the EuPCS 2.1 Intended use According to Annex VIII, the intended use of a mixture shall be described in accordance with a harmonised product categorisation system (Annex VIII to CLP, Part A, section 3.4) and forms part of the submission requirements (Part B, section 2.4). Information on other elements, such as chemical composition, physical properties and user type or packaging, is required along with the product category to form a complete submission. Therefore, the product categorisation system should not be based on these additional elements.
When preparing a submission of information for a hazardous mixture, the submitter must assign a product category which best defines the intended use of that mixture which will be placed on the market.
2.2 Scope of the EuPCS The EuPCS detailed in this guide covers only product categories for those mixtures classified as hazardous based on their health or physical effects under Article 45 of the CLP Regulation. Product categories excluded from the EuPCS are those exempted from CLP obligations in accordance with Article 1(5), such as medicinal products, veterinary medicinal products, cosmetic products, medical devices, food or feeding stuffs. In addition, EuPCS product categories exclude mixtures exempt from Annex VIII to CLP, such as gases under pressure and explosives. The EuPCS categories may be used for the voluntary submission of information for mixtures that do not require a notification, e.g.
detergents that are not classified as hazardous, or hazardous for the environment only.
6 Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/542 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures by adding an Annex on harmonised information relating to emergency health response (Annex VIII): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?qid=1490275739734&uri=CELEX:32017R0542. 7 The EuPCS: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/eu-product-categorisation-system
EuPCS: a practical guide 7 3. Structure of the EuPCS 3.1 Which categories can be selected? The EuPCS is a five-level hierarchical tree structure containing close to 250 product categories.
Parent categories branch down to the child level and a selection of a category can only be made at the lowest level in the hierarchy. It may be that the lowest level for some products occurs at the fifth level (e.g. in the case of PC-CLN-10.4, Figure 1), while for others, the lowest level occurs already at the first level (e.g. with category ‘F – Mixtures for further formulation’, section 3.2). A category can only be selected if it is not further subcategorised.
3.2 EuPCS category codes The EuPCS category codes are alphanumerical and the categories are structured to enable the easy identification of the type of product or product group based on the abbreviated letters of the product group at the third level – for example, ‘PCCLN’ for cleaning products, ‘PCADH’ for adhesive products, ‘PCPNT’ for paint products. The structure of the category codes at the fourth and fifth level are usually numerical (Figure 1), or they may be abbreviated to ‘OTH’ (‘other’), as in the case of PC-CLN-OTH (see section 4.3), for example.
Figure 1: An illustration of the EuPCS category code elements to the fifth level.
3.3 End use products vs mixtures for further formulation The EuPCS makes a clear distinction between the two first-level categories based on whether a mixture is placed on the market for an end use (i.e. a final mixture) or whether it is intended to be used only for formulating other mixtures. The category ‘P – Products’ reflects end use products. End use means the use of a mixture as a last step before the end-of-life of the mixture, namely before the mixture (or each of its components) is emitted to waste streams or the environment, is included into an article8 or is consumed in a process by reaction during use (including intermediate use)9 .
The category ‘F – Mixtures for further formulation’ reflects mixtures that are only used for 8 An object which during production is given a special shape, surface or design which determines its function to a greater degree than does its chemical composition – Article 2(9) of the CLP Regulation. 9 Adapted from the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment – Chapter R.12: Use description: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13632/information_requirements_r12_e n.pdf
8 EuPCS: a practical guide further formulation of other mixtures in an industrial setting (i.e.
they are not placed on the market for an end use). Category ‘F’ is not further subcategorised, therefore a selection of this first level category is possible. Formulation corresponds to specific activities meant to produce a mixture to be put on the market. This means that during formulation, the mixture is transferred and mixed with other mixtures. It corresponds to activities taking place at industrial sites. Mixing activities during end use (or at point of sale) are not considered as formulation10 . Note that it is assumed that formulators, regardless of the size of the company, formulate mixtures in an industrial setting.
Mixtures with an industrial end use (e.g. in the production of articles) are not considered to fit within the scope of the EuPCS category ‘F – Mixtures for further formulation’. Figure 2 below demonstrates the relationship in the supply chain concerning mixtures for further formulation as well as end use products (e.g. cleaning products, biocides, adhesives, paints, fuels). Mixtures for further formulation are only used by formulators (e.g. a perfume/fragrance mixture used to formulate cleaning products), whereas end use products (e.g. a detergent) may be for co nsumer, professional and/or industrial end users.
Figure 2: Mixtures for further formulation used to formulate end use products for consumer, professional and/or industrial end users. For more information on those cases where a mixture could be categorised under categories ‘P – Products’ and ‘F – Mixtures for further formulation’, please see section 4.1. 3.4 Chemical, biocidal and plant protection products While the first level of the EuPCS differentiates between products with an end use and mixtures for further formulation (no end use), the second level distinguishes between chemical products and biocidal and plant protection products. The third level of the system groups the main identified product category areas, e.g.
detergents, adhesives and sealants, and paints and coatings (Figure 3). Subcategorisation at the fourth and fifth levels is more detailed, including subdivisions such as laundry detergents for hand washing, adhesives and sealants for household, office or school use, and protective and functional paints and coatings. 10 Adapted from the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment – Chapter R.12: Use description: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13632/information_requirements_r12_e n.pdf Formulator 1 Formulator 2
EuPCS: a practical guide 9 Figure 3: Categorisation of products in the EuPCS to the third level.
10 EuPCS: a practical guide 4. Selecting the right product category This section provides guidelines for selecting an intended use for products that may fit multiple intended use categories, biocidal or plant protection products, or in cases where no suitable category exists. If in doubt about the right product category, contact your relevant industry association for further advice. 4.1 Products fitting multiple categories The selection of a product category is based on the intended use of a product.
Selecting multiple product categories for a single product is not possible. In some cases, products may correspond to multiple intended uses. In such cases, the categorisation shall be made according to a single main intended use.
For example, consider 2-in-1 products that have two very different (but complementary) intended uses, such as a cleaner coupled with a deodoriser, or a cleaning product for bathrooms and kitchens. It remains at the discretion of the submitter of the information to select the most appropriate category according to their best knowledge and experience (Figure 4). Figure 4: The submitter must determine the main intended use for products fitting multiple categories. For products that may fit within a subcategory of ‘P – Products’ (i.e. have an end use) as well as of ‘F – Mixtures for further formulation’, the main intended use should reflect the end use category which provides more information for the purposes of providing an emergency health response.
EuPCS: a practical guide 11 4.2 Biocidal and plant protection products In some instances, a product may fit multiple product categories where one of the intended uses may be as a biocide or plant protection product. In such cases, the general rule is that if such a product is subject to authorisation according to the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR)11 or to the Plant Protection Product Regulation (PPPR)12 , the product category reflecting the intended use as a biocide or plant protection product must be selected13 .
For example, if a disinfecting cleaner for kitchen areas was granted a product authorisation according to the BPR and the product could fit in the category ‘PC-CLN-10.1 – Cleaners for kitchen areas’ as well as in the category ‘PP-BIO-2 – Disinfectants and algaecides not intended for direct application to humans or animals’, according to the general rule above, the appropriate biocidal product category is to be reflected as the main intended use of the disinfecting cleaner.
In the case of a product that contains an active substance but does not require an authorisation according to the BPR (i.e. a treated article according to Article 3 of the BPR, that does not have a primary biocidal function itself, such as a decorative paint containing an in-can preservative) or the PPPR, the submitter should determine the main intended use as described in section 4.1. 4.3 When no suitable category exists In some cases, a suitable product category to describe the intended use may not exist at the lowest level, and the description of the category at the previous level may be better suited to the product, as the concept is wider, for example:  At the fourth or fifth level: It is possible to select one of the ‘Other…’ categories.
The categorisation as ‘Other…’ is always made referencing the higher category under which the product can be placed (e.g. ‘PC-CLN-OTH – Other cleaning, care and maintenance products’.
 At the third level: Where the intended use of the product cannot be linked to the main product group areas (e.g. adhesives, detergents, paints), selecting the category ‘Chemical products - uncategorised’ (category code PC-UNC) may be an option. In general, the categories ‘Other…’ or ‘Chemical products – uncategorised’ should be used in exceptional cases and only after the submitter has carefully assessed that none of the more specific categories (including those contained in other third-level categories) can describe the intended use of the product.
When the selection of ‘Other…’ has been made, it is not possible for the submitter to indicate their own specific product category as free text in the submission.
11 Biocidal Product Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012: https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/biocidal-products- regulation/legislation. 12 Plant Protection Product Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32009R1107. 13 Based on the outcome of the ‘Product categorisation system’ workshop on 13 April 2016 at DG GROW premises in Brussels. In this context, it is mentioned that Member States already have the obligation to report on exposure incidents under the Biocidal Products and Plant Protection Products regulations every five years. This aims to ensure more reliable and comparative reports and statistical analysis.
12 EuPCS: a practical guide Contact your relevant industry association and let them know if a suitable product category does not exist for your product. It may also be that there is a need to submit a request for updating the EuPCS (see section 6). 4.4 Differences in assigning a product category in standard and group submissions Information can be submitted for a single mixture which may reflect either a single product or multiple products (standard submission). Under certain conditions, it is also possible to submit information for multiple but similar mixtures in one submission (i.e. a group submission), if these contain the same components in the same concentration ranges except for certain perfumes or fragrances.
According to Annex VIII, all mixtures in a group submission must have the same classification for health and physical hazards and belong to the same product category. The submission format14 containing the structured information requirements allows the submitter to link individual products in a standard or group submission to specific information elements such as product category, trade name, packaging and a unique formula identifier (UFI). The UFI serves to complement other information used by poison centres (e.g. trade name, product category) to rapidly identify the exact product involved in an incident15 .
In all cases, only a single product category can be assigned per product. For standard submissions containing multiple products, it would be reasonable to expect that all products containing the same mixture have the same product category. However, in some cases there may be a need for the submitter to choose a different product category for different products – for instance, the same mixture could be packaged and labelled differently, e.g. as a bathroom cleaner and as a kitchen cleaner. The submission format offers this kind of flexibility to avoid a duplicate submission being made for the same mixture composition.
Nevertheless, given the flexibility, the submitter is recommended to assign a different UFI to each product that has a different product category. The UFI further benefits poison centres by creating an unambiguous link between the submitted mixture information (including the product category) to a specific product on the market. It is possible to assign a different product category to each product included in a standard submission (for multiple products).
Table 1 below compares the different submission types and allowances for the product category. 14 The Poison Centres Notification (PCN) format is XML-based and compatible with IUCLID. The format (v.1) is available on ECHA’s Poison Centres website: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/poison-centres-notification-format. 15 More information on the UFI and how to generate one can be found on ECHA’s Poison Centres website: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/ufi-generator.
EuPCS: a practical guide 13 Table 1: Summary of the relationship between product categorisation and standard and group submissions.
Submission type Mixture composition Number of products Product categories per submission Remarks Standard – single product 1 1 1 - Standard – multiple products 1 Multiple Multiple – each product can be assigned its own product category If products within the submission are assigned different product categories, it is recommended that they are linked to a different UFI. Group submission Multiple ‘similar’ compositions (excluding perfumes and fragrances) Multiple, at least one per mixture composition in the group 1 All mixtures must belong to the same product category 5. Product groups This section presents all the subcategories belonging to the different third-level product groups of the EuPCS16 (see section 3.4, Figure 3) and offers practical advice for selecting the intended use by clarifying the differences between similar or closely related categories, highlighting exclusions and areas for special consideration, such as overlapping categories.
Due to seemingly related category labels, it is highly recommended that you read the full EuPCS category description to ensure the selection of the corresponding category for your product.
Product categories have also been developed under REACH for use description in the context of the registration of chemicals, as detailed in the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment17 . Annex I to this practical guide proposes corresponding REACH product categories for EuPCS categories, where available. 5.1 Adhesives and sealants (PC-ADH) This category covers adhesives (including mixtures for multi-component types) and sealants used to fill gaps. Table 2 presents the subcategories for PC-ADH. 16 The EuPCS is available on ECHA’s Poison Centres website at: https://poisoncentres.echa.europa.eu/es/eu-product-categorisation-system.
17 Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment – Chapter R.12: Use description: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13632/information_requirements_r12_e n.pdf.
14 EuPCS: a practical guide The category PC-ADH excludes cement-based adhesives – see section 5.7, ‘Construction products’ (PC-CON). Special consideration should be given to the following subcategory: ‘PC-ADH-8 – Multicomponent adhesives and sealants’ includes all products for which the components need to be mixed for immediate use. Table 2: ‘Adhesive and sealants’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-ADH* Adhesives and sealants An adhesive is a product capable of joining materials by surface bonding (adhesion), where the bond possesses adequate internal strength (cohesion).
A sealant is an adhesive product applied to joints in order to fill gaps, mechanically block or protect from, for example, air and water.
PC-ADH-1 Household, office or school use Products for general use in the home, school, or office environment. Includes craft glues, multi-purpose glues and glue sticks, instant glues, wood glues, contact adhesives, and adhesive sprays. PC-ADH-2 Building and construction works (except cement- based adhesives) Adhesives and sealants (gap fillers) for on-site and off- site building works such as new work, maintenance and renovations, e.g. adhesives for wall coverings (including wall paper) and flooring (including carpet, PVS and linoleum, parquet) as well as civil engineering works (bridges, highway, railroad).
For cement-based adhesives, see 'Mortars' in 'Construction products'. PC-ADH-3 Footwear and leather goods Specialised adhesive and sealant products for leather goods and footwear e.g. for soling/sole attaching, lasting, box toes, counter, repair aftermarket. PC-ADH-4 Paper- and board-related processes Specialised adhesive and sealant products intended for processing paper, board and related products such as packaging, labelling, paper-to-board lamination, bookbinding. Does not include paper adhesives primarily for home use, see 'Adhesives and sealants – household, office or school use'.
PC-ADH-5 Transportation industry Products containing high-performing structural adhesives and sealants, e.g. for motor and railed vehicles, watercraft, aircraft and spacecraft. PC-ADH-6 Woodworking and joinery (includes putty) Specialised adhesive and sealant products for cabinet making and furniture manufacturing, including putty. Does not include wood glues primarily for home use, see 'Adhesives and sealants – household, office or school use'. PC-ADH-7 Assembly line processes Adhesives and sealants used in assembly line processes, for example, in assembling electronic components, medical applications, toys – excluding already covered categories, e.g.
for paper- and board- related processes.
EuPCS: a practical guide 15 EuPCS code Label Description PC-ADH-8** Multi-component adhesives and sealants Products intended to be mixed for immediate use as an adhesive or sealant. PC-ADH-OTH Other adhesives and sealants - * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format. ** See additional information for this category in section 5.1. 5.2 Air care products (PC-AIR) This category covers air care products to odourise or deodorise the indoor air environment, including rooms, specific objects or items. Table 3 presents the subcategories of PC-AIR. The category PC-AIR excludes products used as fragrances – see section 5.17, ‘Fragrances’.
Special consideration should be given to the following subcategory: ‘PC-AIR-1 – Air care products for indoor rooms (continuous action)’ excludes scented lamp oils – see ‘Lamp oils’ in section 5.11, a subcategory of ‘Fuels and fuels additives’ (PC-FUE). Table 3: ‘Air care products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-AIR* Air care products Air care products that serve to odourise or deodorise the indoor rooms (e.g. in homes, offices) or specific objects or items (e.g. shoes, cars, household appliances). Includes incense, candles and matches used to light them.
Excludes biocidal products.
PC-AIR-1** Air care products for indoor rooms (continuous action) Products that serve to continuously odorise or deodorise indoor air, including diffuser products (excludes incense, and scented candles). PC-AIR-2 Air care products for indoor rooms (instant action) Products that serve to instantly odorise or deodorise the indoor air environment. PC-AIR-3 Air care products for shoes - PC-AIR-4 Air care products for vehicles -
16 EuPCS: a practical guide EuPCS code Label Description PC-AIR-5 Ambient deodorisers (excludes room deodorisers) Applies to certain products where the only intended use is to deodorise enclosed spaces (e.g.
wardrobes, cupboards), household appliances (e.g. refrigerator, vacuum cleaner) or objects (e.g. rubbish bins). Excludes deodorising products in PC-AIR, e.g. for rooms, shoes or vehicles. Does not apply to products used to deodorise textiles or carpet (see 'Textile fresheners/deodorisers') or carpets and upholstery (see 'Deodorisers or fresheners for carpet/upholstery)'.
PC-AIR-6 Incense - PC-AIR-7 Candles – scented and unscented - PC-AIR-8 Matches - PC-AIR-OTH Other air care products Other air care products and ambient deodorisers not already covered. * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format. ** See additional information for this category in section 5.2. 5.3 Products for animals (PC-ANI) This category includes products for animal care, including animal feed additives (note that the final feeding products are exempted from CLP, see section 2.2). Table 4 presents the available subcategories of products for animals covered by the CLP Regulation, in particular additives for use in animal nutrition as defined in the regulation concerning such additives18 .
The category PC-ANI excludes biocidal animal care products – see section 5.17, ‘Biocidal products’. Special consideration should be given to the following subcategory: ‘PC-ANI-1 – Additives and premixtures for animal feed’ excludes products used for further formulation in industrial settings – see section 3.3, ‘Mixtures for further formulation’. Table 4: ‘Products for animals’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-ANI* Products for animals Products for animal care including animal feed additives (excluding biocidal products, veterinary medicines, feed materials, compound feed, pet food, and medicated feed).
18 Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 concerning additives for use in animal nutrition: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32003R1831.
EuPCS: a practical guide 17 PC-ANI-1** Additives and premixtures for animal feed Products which are intentionally added to feed or water in order to perform a particular function. Excludes food and feeding products. PC-ANI-2 Animal shampoos and conditioners Excludes biocidal products. PC-ANI-OTH Other products for animals (excluding biocidal products) - * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format.
** See additional information for this category in section in 5.3. 5.4 Art materials including chemical products used for decorative purposes (PC-ART) This category includes paints and other art and craft materials for artistic expression or decorative purposes, including auxiliary materials. Table 5 presents the subcategories of PC-ART. The category PC-ART excludes:  paint and related auxiliaries used for architectural decoration – see section 5.13, ‘Paints and coatings (and related auxiliaries)’ (PC-PNT);  spray paints – see in section 5.13 ‘Aerosol paints and coatings’, a subcategory in ‘Paints and coatings (and related auxiliaries)’ (PC-PNT);  crafting adhesives – see section 5.1, ‘Adhesives and sealants’ (PC-ADH);  face and body paints, which are cosmetic products and are therefore out of the scope of Article 45 to the CLP.
Table 5: ‘Art materials’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-ART* Art materials (including chemical products used for decorative purposes) Includes paints and other art and craft materials for artistic expression or decorative purposes, including auxiliary materials. For art and craft adhesives, see 'Adhesives and sealants – household, office or school use'. PC-ART-1 Artist, craft and hobby paints Paints for artistic and creative expression and for colouring/decoration of articles (excludes 'finger paints' and graffiti/street art spray paints – see 'Aerosol paints and coatings').
PC-ART-2 Finger paints Paints for use in play by children, applied using the fingers directly.
PC-ART-3 Crayons, chalks and pastels Mixtures in solid/compressed form for colouring/drawing in creative expression or play.
18 EuPCS: a practical guide PC-ART-4 Auxiliary materials for artists Auxiliary artists’ materials including carriers/vehicles (such as oils), solvents/thinners, special effect agents, tinting mediums, fast and slow drying gels, fixatives and varnishes. PC-ART-5 Modelling compounds Creative modelling/sculpting material for adults or children, such as clays (e.g. ceramic, polymeric). PC-ART-6 Chemical products used for decorative purposes Includes chemical products such as artificial snow/snow flakes/frost, artificial cobwebs.
PC-ART-OTH Other art materials (including chemical products used for decorative purposes) Other art materials and chemical products used for decorative purposes not already covered. * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format. 5.5 Cleaning, care and maintenance products (excluding biocidal products) (PC-CLN) This category includes cleaning, care and maintenance products for the intended use areas as presented in Table 6. This category excludes biocidal products – see section 5.17, ‘Biocidal products’ (PC- BIO).
This category excludes detergents and auxiliaries for laundry and dishwashing – see section 5.8, ‘Detergents and auxiliaries for laundry and dishwasing’ (PC-DET).
Special consideration should be given to the following subcategories: ‘PC-CLN-4 – Descaling products’ includes all descaling products, e.g. descalers for kitchen equipment such as coffee makers, kettles,water boilers and heaters. Descalers for toilet and bathroom areas and descalers for dishwasher or washing machines are also included in this subcategory.
‘PC-CLN-8 – Indoor furniture cleaning/care products (excluding leather and upholstery)’ – for leather, see ‘Leather cleaning and care products’; for upholstery, see ‘Cleaning products for carpet/upholstery’ (Table 6). ‘PC-CLN-10 – Kitchen and related cleaning products’ excludes products to remove smoke resin e.g. in exhaust hoods or flues – see subcategory ‘Smoke and resin cleaners’ (Table 6). ‘PC-CLN-12 – Stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products’ excludes cleaning and care products for kitchen and bathroom tile cleaners – see subcategories ‘Cleaners for kitchen areas’ and ‘Bathroom cleaners’ (Table 6).
‘PC-CLN-13 – Floor cleaning/care and maintenance products’ excludes products intended for stone and tile floors, e.g. in kitchen, bathroom or other areas – see subcategory ‘Stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products’ (Table 6).
EuPCS: a practical guide 19 ‘PC-CLN-14.1 – Cleaning products for carpet/upholstery’ excludes leather upholstery – see subcategory ‘Leather – cleaning and care products’ (Table 6). Table 6: ‘Cleaning, care and maintenance products (excluding biocidal products)’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions (where available).
EuPCS code Label Description PC-CLN* Cleaning, care and maintenance products (excluding biocidal products) For detergents, see 'Detergents and auxiliaries for laundry and dishwashing (excludes biocidal products)'. PC-CLN-1 Abrasive cleaning products Products intended to clean surfaces through mechanical action, including, for example, all- or multipurpose cleaners, cleaners for kitchen, toilet or bathroom areas.
PC-CLN-2 All-purpose (or multi-purpose) non- abrasive cleaners - PC-CLN-3 Bleaching products for cleaning or laundry use (excludes biocidal products) - PC-CLN-4** Descaling products - PC-CLN-5 Drain cleaning products - PC-CLN-6 Fireplace and smoke resin cleaners Includes products for smokehouses and chimneys. PC-CLN-7 Glass/window/mirror cleaning products (excludes windscreens) For windscreen cleaners, see 'Windscreen/windshield cleaners'. PC-CLN-8** Indoor furniture cleaning/care products (excludes leather and upholstery) Products for the cleaning and care of indoor wooden and other hard surface furniture.
Includes general cleaning products, dust sprays, polishes, conditioners.
PC-CLN-9 Outdoor cleaners (excludes stone, concrete and similar surfaces) Products for the cleaning and care of, for example, garden furniture, wooden terraces and decks, fences (excludes biocidal products). For cleaning of outdoor pavements, pathways, see 'Heavy duty cleaning products for stone and similar surfaces'. PC-CLN-10*,** Kitchen and related cleaning products (excludes biocidal products) Excludes 'Biocidal products', descalers (see 'Descaling products') and abrasive cleaners (see 'Abrasive cleaning products').
PC-CLN-10.1 Cleaners for kitchen areas Products including multi-surface cleaners, degreasers and kitchen tile cleaners.
20 EuPCS: a practical guide EuPCS code Label Description PC-CLN-10.2 Cleaners for kitchen machinery and equipment Excludes descalers (see 'Descaling products'). PC-CLN-10.3 Cooking hob cleaning/care products - PC-CLN-10.4 Oven, grill or barbecue cleaners - PC-CLN-10.OTH Other kitchen and related cleaning products (excludes biocidal products) - PC-CLN-11* Bathroom and toilet cleaning/care products (excludes biocidal products) Excludes 'Biocidal products', descalers (see 'Descaling products') and abrasive cleaners (see 'Abrasive cleaning products').
PC-CLN-11.1 Bathroom cleaners Includes multi-surface and bathroom tile cleaners.
PC-CLN-11.2 Toilet cleaners Excludes multi-flush agents. PC-CLN-11.3 Multi-flush products for toilets Multi-flush agents for cistern or rim use. PC-CLN-11.OTH Other bathroom and toilet cleaning/care products (excludes biocidal products) - PC-CLN-12 * Stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products Excludes biocidal products as well as for use in kitchen and bathroom areas. PC-CLN-12.1 Cleaning/care products for stone and tiles – regular use Cleaning products intended to be used on a regular basis for the maintenance of stone and tile surfaces including floors. Excludes products specifically for kitchen, toilet and bathroom areas.
PC-CLN-12.2 Heavy duty cleaning products for stone and similar surfaces Products for heavy duty cleaning of stone and similar surfaces, including outdoor pavements, pathways, headstones.
PC-CLN-12.3 Grout cleaners Product specifically intended to clean grout. PC-CLN-12.OTH Other stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products - PC-CLN-13 * Floor cleaning, care and maintenance products (excludes stone and tile) Excludes products for stone and tile floors – see 'Stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products'.
EuPCS: a practical guide 21 EuPCS code Label Description PC-CLN-13.1 Floor cleaning products Cleaning products intended to be used on a regular basis for the maintenance of floors, including unit-dose capsules. Excludes stone and tile floors – see 'Stone, tile and grout cleaning/care products'.
PC-CLN-13.2 Floor care products, e.g. waxes, emulsions - PC-CLN-13.2 Floor strippers Excludes paint strippers – see 'Paint removers, thinners and related auxiliaries'. PC-CLN-13.OTH Other floor cleaning, care and maintenance products (excludes stone and tile) - PC-CLN-14* Carpet and upholstery products Includes cleaning products for carpet and upholstery.
PC-CLN-14.1** Cleaning products for carpet/upholstery - PC-CLN-14.2 Deodorisers or fresheners for carpet/upholstery Excludes textile fresheners – see 'Textile fresheners/deodorisers'. PC-CLN-OTH Other carpet and upholstery products - PC-CLN-15* Cleaners for specific personal items - PC-CLN-15.1 Cleaners for eyewear Excludes contact lens cleaning solutions. PC-CLN-15.2 Cleaners for home electronic screens - PC-CLN-15.3 Cleaners for musical instruments - PC-CLN-15.4 Metal polish/tarnish remover Includes cleaners for jewellery, silverware and other metals such as brass and copper.
PC-CLN-15.OTH Other cleaners for specific personal items - PC-CLN-16* Textile and leather cleaning and care products (including footwear) Products for the cleaning and care of textile and leather goods including footwear.
Excludes upholstery (see 'Carpet and upholstery products') and colourants (see 'Dyes' and 'Pigments').
22 EuPCS: a practical guide EuPCS code Label Description PC-CLN-16.1 Leather – cleaning and care products Products intended to clean or condition leather articles such footwear, furniture and other leather goods in order to preserve or restore strength, appearance and flexibility (excludes 'Impregnation products'). PC-CLN-16.2 Textile footwear – cleaning products Cleaning products for textile footwear (excluding leather footwear). PC-CLN-16.3 Textile fresheners/deodorisers Excludes air care products for footwear – see 'Air care products for shoes'.
PC-CLN-16.4 Dry cleaning and associated products Products intended to clean textiles in non-aqueous cleaning processes.
PC-CLN-16.5 Impregnation products for finished textiles and leather goods Products intended for waterproofing or as a dirt repellent for finished textiles and leather goods. Does not include impregnation products used in the industrial processing of textiles or leather – see ‘Textile treatment products’ or ‘Leather treatment products’. PC-CLN-16.6 Outdoor textiles – cleaning products Products intended to clean awnings, tents, tarpaulins, sails… PC-CLN-16.OTH Other textile and leather cleaning and care products (including footwear) - PC-CLN-17* Vehicle (all types) cleaning and care products - PC-CLN-17.1 Exterior cleaning products – all vehicle types Includes automotive shampoos and other products intended to remove dirt, grease and grime from car exteriors.
PC-CLN-17.2 Exterior care products – all vehicle types Includes lacquers, polishes, waxes. PC-CLN-17.3 Interior cleaning and care products (excludes air care products and products for upholstery or leather) Cleaning and care products used to clean interior surfaces of vehicles, e.g. rubber, vinyl, plastic. For leather upholstery, see 'Leather – cleaning and care products'. For fabric and textile upholstery cleaners, see 'Cleaning products for carpet/upholstery'. PC-CLN-17.4 Engine cleaners - PC-CLN-17.5 Brake cleaners - PC-CLN-17.6 Chromium, rim and other metal cleaners – all vehicle types -
EuPCS: a practical guide 23 EuPCS code Label Description PC-CLN-17.7 Windscreen/windshield cleaners Products intended to wash vehicular windscreens/windshields by direct application. PC-CLN-17.8 Windscreen/windshield wash fluid Product added to vehicles for the cleaning of the windscreen by the windscreen wipers. PC-CLN-17.OTH Other vehicles (all types) cleaning and care products - PC-CLN-OTH Other cleaning, care and maintenance products (excludes biocidal products) - * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format. ** See additional information for this category in section 5.5.
5.6 Colourants (PC-COL) This category only includes end use products intended to impart colour, for example, to textiles, leather, paper, and other materials. Colourants used for cosmetic purposes, such as hair dyes, are not within the scope of Article 45 of the CLP Regulation and are not included here. Table 7 presents the two PC-COL subcategories.
The category PC-COL excludes fixing agents used in dyeing processes – see in section 5.16 ‘Textile treatment products (excludes dyes and pigments)’, a subcategory in ‘Products for chemical or technical processes’ (PC-TEC). Mixtures that are mixed during end use (e.g. in the production of articles) are not considered mixtures for further formulation19 . Table 7: ‘Colourants’ product subcategories, including EuPCS codes and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-COL* Colourants - PC-COL-1 Dyes Soluble colourants. PC-COL-2 Pigments Insoluble colourants. * Parent category not selectable or supported by the format.
19 Adapted from the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment – Chapter R.12: Use description pg. 20: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/13632/information_requirements_r12_e n.pdf.
24 EuPCS: a practical guide 5.7 Construction products (PC-CON) Table 8 presents the subcategories of construction products. A construction product is any product or kit which is produced and placed on the market for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works or parts thereof and the performance of which has an effect on the performance of the construction works with respect to the basic requirements for construction works20 . The category PC-CON excludes:  non-cementitious adhesives used in building, renovation or construction work;  gap-filler sealants used in building, renovation or construction work.
See subcategory ‘Adhesives and sealants – building and construction works’, in section 5.1 ‘Adhesives and sealants’ (PC-ADH).
The subcategory ‘PC-CON-5 – Construction chemicals’ covers a broad range of products that have been divided into three distinct product areas as described in Table 8. The subcategory includes chemical products used for the priming and protection of construction materials (i.e. products not covered by ‘Paint/coatings – Protective and functional’ subcategory). Table 8: ‘Construction products’ subcategories, including EuPCS codes, labels and descriptions. EuPCS code Label Description PC-CON* Construction products Construction products include products for incorporation in construction works (building or engineering works) or parts of them (except biocidal products).
PC-CON-1 Cement - PC-CON-2 Concrete - PC-CON-3 Gypsum Gypsum products are primarily based on calcium sulphate and include gypsum plasters, floor screeds and fillers.
PC-CON-4 Mortars Mortar is a generic term comprising masonry and repair mortars, plaster and renders, screeds and cement-based adhesives (for other non-cementitious adhesives, see 'Adhesives and sealants – building and construction works'). 20 Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011R0305.
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