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Global Harmonization System:The BasicsThe Basics

Alex Stone, Chemist

Washington State Department of Ecology

Background

• Full name: Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

B i 1992• Began in 1992

• Objective– Create a single, world-wide system to classify chemicals, to label

chemicals and to create safety data sheets containing important safety information

• Coordinates efforts with numerous international organizationsorganizations– For example, Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD)

• Currently being evaluated and implemented in the US– EPA, OSHA, DOT, CPSC

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Benefits

• Increases availability of information about safety concerns related to chemicals

• Decreases hazards posed by chemicals as they are• Decreases hazards posed by chemicals as they are transported around the world

• Increases protection of human health and the environment

• Source of information for governments and other interested parties

F ili i i i l d• Facilitating international trade

• Promoting consistency in regulatory requirements

Increased information

• Identifies criteria against which chemicals must be evaluated

• Increases amount of information available on all chemicals– Helps to address some of the regulatory weaknesses in the US on p g y

chemical policy

• Prioritized hazards by ranking seriousness of hazard

• Increases likelihood of identifying hazards associated with chemicals

• Requires information to be placed into Safety Data Sheet (SDS)– Toxicity information also given more emphasis in SDS

• Information then available for other purposes– Regulatory

– Safer chemical alternative assessment

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Safety DataSheet

Safety Data Sheet (cont.)

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Safety Data Sheet (cont.)

Implementation

• Emphasis on assessing hazards chemicals pose

• Detailed guidance providedHazard and toxicity criteria– Hazard and toxicity criteria

– Details on how to handle mixtures

– Specific methodologies for each hazard and toxicity criteria

• Defers to existing methodologies (OECD, for example)

– Ranges to assign category

• Emphasis on assessing hazards chemicals pose

Pl d i d b d hi i f i d• Placards assigned based upon this information and play a pivotal role in GHS

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Criteria

1. Physical hazards– Explosivity, flammability (liquids, solids, gases and aerosols),

oxidizing gases, gases under pressure, self-reactive substances and mixtures, pyrophoric liquids and solids, self-heating substances and mixtures, substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases, oxidizing liquids and solids, organic peroxides, corrosivity to metals

2. Health Hazards– Acute toxicity, skin corrosion/irritation, serious eye damage/eye

irritation, respiratory or skin sensitization, germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, specific target organ toxicitycarcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, specific target organ toxicity (both single and repeated dose exposure) and aspiration hazard

3. Environmental Hazards– Acute and chronic aquatic toxicity

Flammability:

Safety Data Sheet-Formaldehyde

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Acute Toxicity

Safety Data Sheet-Formaldehyde

Skin corrosion/irritant

Safety Data Sheet-Formaldehyde

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Eye irritant/damage

Respiratory/skin irritant

Safety Data Sheet-Formaldehyde

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Mutagenicity

Carcinogenicity

Safety Data Sheet-Formaldehyde

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Reproductive Toxicity

Reproductive Toxicity (cont.)

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Organ Toxicity-single dose

Organ Toxicity-single dose (cont.)

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Organ Toxicity-repeated dose

Organ Toxicity-repeated dose (cont.)

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Aspiration Criteria

Aquatic Toxicity

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Aquatic Toxicity (cont.)

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SummaryPositives:

1. Increased emphasis on the need for data to evaluate hazards chemicals posep

2. Hazard information more visible and easier to understand

3. International therefore standardizes the methods and criteria

4. Endorsed by most countries in the worldMost manufacturers already have to meet these requirements– Most manufacturers already have to meet these requirements

5. Makes data available for other uses

SummaryNegatives:

1. Complicated and not always easy to understand

2 Information just beginning to be released so not2. Information just beginning to be released so not available for all chemicals

3. Format for data on Safety Data Sheets can vary

4. US slow to implement although more emphasis has been placed on GHS over the last year

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Further Information:

United Nations: http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_rev00/00files_e.html

// / d / / bEPA website: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/international/globalharmon.htm

UN Presentation on GHS: http://www.chem.unep.ch/unepsaicm/cip/Documents/Dec%202009%20Scoping%20Meeting%20presentations/Rosa%20Garcia%20Cuoto_GHS_UNEP_Scoping%20meeting.pdf