Please find below a news release that I hope will be of interest to your readers.

Have you noticed a change in your household cleaning products?

Consumers encouraged to familiarise themselves with new warning labels

According to the Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS), eagle-eyed consumers may recently have noticed something different about many of the household cleaning and DIY products they use. They will have spotted that the familiar chemical warning symbols printed on the products are being replaced by symbols with a new design.

However, CHCS Chairman, Stuart Longworth, says the changes are nothing to worry about, "These changes are part of a United Nations sponsored programme to harmonise the symbols and warning statements used on the labels on a global basis. They will make life easier for consumers when they travel and businesses when they import and export products because eventually there will be only one set of symbols to deal with throughout most of the world."

The labels are commonly found on a wide range of products, from dishwasher tablets, bleach and lime scale removers in the kitchen, to DIY products such as paints, varnishes and adhesives, and garden chemicals. They alert consumers to the hazards associated with chemicals in the products to enable appropriate care to be taken when using them.

The design of the new symbols comprises a white diamond with red borders containing a black pictogram. Some are similar to the previous versions and are easily recognised, but several are new. To help consumers familiarise themselves with the new labels, the Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS) has created a handy guide which can be downloaded from a specially created website at http://www.understandthelabel.org.uk.

The new labels are required to be used on all products manufactured after 1st June 2015, although products labelled with the "old" warning labels already on the shelves on that date can continue to be supplied until 1st June 2017.

- - - Ends (328 words) - - -

Notes to Editors:

The Chemical Hazards Communication Society

This information has been provided by the Chemical Hazards Communication Society (CHCS). The CHCS is a not for profit organisation dedicated to promoting the awareness of chemical hazards and improvements in their identification and communication by providing information and training to companies that market chemical products. More information is available on the CHCS website at http://www.chcs.org.uk.

The CHCS has also created a Facebook page and a Twitter feed. Useful information will be posted on these as the harmonisation programme continues.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UnderstandTheLabel

Twitter: http://twitter.com/labelmeanings

Background to the new regulations

1. A Eurobarometer survey published in May 2011 (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_360_en.pdf) highlighted the poor level of understanding of the current symbols and how to use chemicals safely amongst consumers.

2. The new chemical labelling regulations fall under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures, commonly known as CLP. CLP is replacing the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009, commonly known as CHIP4.

3. CLP introduces the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) into Europe. More information about the GHS can be found on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) website at http://live.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html.

4. Graphics files for the new pictograms can be downloaded free of charge from the UNECE website at http://live.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/pictograms.html. The pictograms are available in gif, eps and tiff formats. The symbols to be used for CLP are the diamonds with the red border and black symbol. The other pictograms on this web page are used for the transport of dangerous goods.

Editorial Contact:

Steve Gunn, steve.gunn@stevegunn.co.uk, Tel: 01844-352540, Mob: 07764-621527.