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Public consultation concerning the harmonized classification of boric acid and various borates


Posted By: Trace One

Boric acid and other borates are subject to public consultation

Public consultation concerning the harmonized classification of boric acid and various boratesA new public consultation concerning the harmonized classification of boric acid and various borates listed in Annex VI to CLP Regulation has been opened. Currently, these substances already have an existing harmonized classification with specific concentration limits (SCLs) for the hazard of reproductive toxicity (Repr. 1B, H360FD).

The consultation regards the proposal of deleting the SCLs and replacing them with the generic concentration limit (GCL), set to 0.3%, in order to classify the products which contain boric acid and these borates.

Being the GCL lower than the currently existing SCLs, it is possible that this modification would trigger some differences in the classification and labelling of products containing these substances.

The substances interested by the public consultation are the following:

  • boric acid [1] (EC 233-139-2 [1], CAS 10043-35-3 [1]); boric acid [2] (EC 234-343-4 [2], CAS 11113-50-1 [2]);
  • diboron trioxide; boric oxide (EC 215-125-8, CAS 1303-86-2);
  • disodium tetraborate, anhydrous; boric acid, disodium salt; [1] (EC 215-540-4 [1], CAS 1330-43-4 [1]); tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate [2] (EC 235-541-3 [2], CAS 12267-73-1 [2]); orthoboric acid, sodium salt [3] (EC 237-560-2 [3], CAS 13840-56-7 [3]);
  • disodium tetraborate decahydrate; borax decahydrate (EC 215-540-4, CAS 1303-96-4);
  • disodium tetraborate pentahydrate; borax pentahydrate (EC 215-540-4, CAS 12179-04-3).

The public consultation will close on February, 22th 2019.

Harmonised classification: what companies can do

Public consultations concerning the harmonized classification allow companies, interested in one or more proposed substances, to comment such classification. Those interested in such substances and who have data of interest may contact ECHA to communicate such info.

For additional information regarding consultations concerning the harmonized classification, please refer to the following link:

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