Hazardous chemicals

Up-to-date information on hazardous chemicals, classification, packaging and labelling obligations, certificate for the purchase of toxic substances, reporting obligations, etc.

Information for beginners

Consumers want the confidence of knowing that the clothing they own is kind to their skin, non-carcinogenic and does not pose a risk to pregnancy.

Entrepreneurs want the confidence of knowing that their products are neither toxic to humans nor have ecotoxicological properties and thus pose no risk to their customers, employees or the environment.

Companies produce consumer goods or trade in goods. There is extensive legislation regulating the way in which companies should handle chemicals. Chemical manufacturers, importers, users or processing companies are subject to certain obligations arising from chemicals legislation.

Chemicals are regulated within the EU by the REACH and CLP Regulation:

• REACH stands for the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals
• CLP stands for the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

Entrepreneurs have further legal requirements concerning biocides, trading in toxic substances, poison control officers, fluorinated greenhouse gases, the Halon Bank, chemical leasing, bans on chemicals, and nanomaterials.

Further links

• Extensive information on chemical policy in Austria (→ BMK)^{German text} can be found on the home page of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology.
• Current priorities of the chemical policy of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology can be found on the Chem News (→ BMK)^{German text} section of the Ministry’s website.
• You can obtain information on REACH and CLP from the Austrian REACH helpdesk (→ REACH Helpdesk).