Packaging and retention

Suppliers shall ensure that the packaging of substances and mixtures is solid, does not leak and is sufficiently safe to preserve the product without damage to the packaging or their contents during normal handling. Furthermore, they shall ensure that the packaging of substances and mixtures intended for distribution in the general market is neither in the form nor in appearance that they raise or obscure children's awareness so they can be confused with the packaging of food, animal feed, medicines or cosmetics.

Hazardous chemicals and pesticides must be stored in the manufacturer's packaging. In addition, they must be stored safely and separated from food, animal feed, medicine and cosmetics and so that unauthorized persons do not reach them. Toxic chemicals and pesticides must be stored in locked rooms or spaces. Separate substances and mixtures in spaces, as appropriate, due to the potential risk of their blending.

The following requirements are specifically made for the packaging of hazardous substances in the Regulation:

a) the packaging shall be designed and constructed so that its contents cannot escape, except in cases where other more specific safety devices are prescribed;

(b) the materials constituting the packaging and fastenings shall not be susceptible to damage by the contents, or liable to form hazardous compounds with the contents;

(c) the packaging and fastenings shall be strong and solid throughout to ensure that they will not loosen and will safely meet the normal stresses and strains of handling;

(d) packaging fitted with replaceable fastening devices shall be designed so that it can be refastened repeatedly without the contents escaping

Certain chemical products require a tactile warning and child-resistant fastening, depending on the product's hazard classification.

Child-resistant fastening

Child-resistant fastening are intended for products sold to the public and should make children more difficult to access hazardous materials. They should be on the packaging of a substance or a mixture classified for acute toxicity, categories 1 to 3, STOT — single exposure category 1, STOT — repeated exposure category 1, or skin corrosion category 1.

Tactile warning

A tactile warning is a colourless embossed triangle that is placed on products sold to the public to alert blind and visually impaired to danger. This warning should be placed on a packaging product with the classification of acute toxicity, skin corrosion, germ cell mutagenicity category 2, carcinogenicity category 2, reproductive toxicity category 2, respiratory sensitisation, or STOT, categories 1 and 2, aspiration hazard, or flammable gases, liquids and solids in categories 1 and 2.

Dimensions of labels and pictograms

The following table shall be used when assessing the size of the label and pictograms. Each pictogram shall be at least 1/15 of the space provided for the label and not smaller than 1 cm².

Minimum dimensions of label and pictograms:

The Poison Information Centre

Eitrunarmiðstöð Landspítalans is the appointed body in Iceland responsible for receiving information relating to emergency health response according to Article 45 of the CLP-regulation. Contact by email: eitur@landspitali.is or telephone: +354 5432222.

Further information on packaging can be found on ECHA's website.