The UFI code to be affixed to product labels of hazardous mixtures (CLP)
With Regulation (EU) 2017/542 which amends regulation (EC) no. 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VIII was added relating to harmonized information on emergency health response as required by Article 45 of the CLP.
The Regulation introduces a new element that will have to appear on product labels starting from 2020: a 16-character code called the Unique Formula Identifier (UFI).
By 2025, the UFI will be mandatory on the label of all products classified as dangerous that present a risk to health or a danger to the safety of the person. Importers and downstream users who place such products on the market will have to provide specific product information, including the UFI, to poison centers. The tools and support to generate the UFI are available on the website of the ECHA poison centers.
The unique formula identifier, known by the acronym UFI, is a 16-character alphanumeric code that will be mandatory to indicate on the label of products containing a hazardous mixture. In addition to the UFI, it is also necessary to provide poison centers with other information on the mixture and associated products, such as composition, trade name, color, packaging, product category and toxicological information. The UFI aims to establish a unique link between the information provided with the product placed on the market. The condition for assigning an UFI is that all products labelled and notified with the same must have the same composition of mixture.
Rules of application and updating labels
The acronym “UFI” (the same in all EU languages and alphabets) must appear in capital letters and be followed by a 16-character alphanumeric code. The code is divided into four blocks, each separated by a dash. Although no specific requirements have been set, for example for the type or size of characters, the UFI must be clearly visible and legible on the product label. Due to the different dimensions of the labels and other labelling particulars which must appear in the same space, the UFI must be positioned so that it can be easily located (for example close to the barcode or hazard pictograms). In essence, it is necessary to determine how the UFI should be printed or affixed in the most effective way to facilitate its communication to poison centres.
By when: European times
The company will be required to notify the UFI and other product information in the new harmonised format by 1 January 2020 for mixtures intended for use by consumers. Mixtures for professional use must be notified by 1 January 2021 and those for industrial use only by 1 January 2024. The mixtures already on the market must be compliant by the end of the transitional period, which means that by January 1, 2025, all relevant products on the market must bear the indication “UFI” on the label.
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