Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to include (a) endocrine disruptors, (b) persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) substances, (c) very persistent, very mobile (vPvM) substances, (d) persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances and (e) very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances within regulations on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has lead responsibility across Government for classification and labelling of chemicals, including the implementation of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of classification and labelling of chemicals (UN GHS) into domestic chemicals regulation. In Great Britain (GB), this is the GB Classification Labelling and Packaging Regulation (known as the GB CLP Regulation).

At the December meeting of the UN GHS, the formulation of a new informal working group ‘potential hazard issues’ was agreed. This group will consider the most appropriate way to take forward the EU’s proposed new ‘hazard classes’ on endocrine disruptors (EDCs), persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) and very persistent, very mobile substances (vPvM) and persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and very persistent, very bioaccumulative substances (vPvB) at the UN GHS level. It is likely this work will take several years to resolve and will need to involve scientific experts from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to ensure the most relevant and up-to-date science is considered in the development of any criteria for classification at the UN GHS.

The UK attended the inaugural meeting of this working group and will continue to be involved, working cooperatively with other delegations in GHS to move towards a consensus position. In order to respond appropriately and engage fully within this working group, HSE will consult with a range of policy and technical experts, from both within HSE and a number of other UK government departments and agencies, to assist in the development of UK views on the issues as they are raised at the UN GHS forum. There are no plans to establish additional hazard classes in the GB CLP Regulation without consensus at the UN GHS.