PCN & UFI for Art & Craft Materials

How does the UFI creation and PCN notification service work?

After purchasing this service, you will receive access to the secure portal. This portal contains an overview of all steps. You fill in your product details and we will get to work.

Poison Center Notification & UFI

We will provide:

• Your product’s Unique Formula Identifier (UFI)
• A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) report
• Registration of your product with the relevant national Poison Centres via ECHA.

Countries for PCN registration

You can count the number of countries in which you want to register your product. This is the number of countries you need to purchase. You will be able to select the specific countries within the portal. If you plan to expand the sales of your products to new countries at a later date, then you can always order additional PCN country registrations.
The EU has 27 countries and the EEA has 30 (EU+Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland) In the portal you can select these countries:

*For Switzerland we can create the PCN dossier, with all the needed information to make a submission in the Swiss portal. Contact us for more information.

CLP Label Information

We offer the option to purchase a CLP compliant product label, containing all mandatory information as required by the EU CLP Regulation. This will be provided as a PDF. This is not a design, but a summery of the required information. This will enable you to integrate the necessary information into your product label design. You can also order the CLP label creation separately. Already have a label? — We can do a CLP label compliance check of your label in accordance with current CLP requirements. We will provide detailed feedback and corrections to ensure your label meets all regulatory standards.

Registering Art Materials with the Poison Centre

For art materials, including chemical products used for decorative purposes, such as paints and other craft materials, it is required by law to submit a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) to the Poison Centre. This includes materials used for artistic expression or decorative purposes, as well as auxiliary products. The registration of these products ensures that emergency responders have access to crucial safety information in case of accidents or adverse reactions, especially considering the potential hazards associated with chemical ingredients in these products.

What is a UFI?

A UFI (Unique Formula Identifier) is a code that uniquely identifies the specific formulation of a product. For art materials, the UFI helps authorities and emergency responders trace the product’s exact chemical composition and handle any emergencies more efficiently. It ensures proper identification in the event of exposure or poisoning, especially with products containing hazardous chemicals.

What is a PCN?

A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is a mandatory report that contains critical safety data about a product, including its chemical composition, hazard classifications, and emergency handling instructions. For art materials, the PCN ensures that any potential risks associated with the product’s use are documented, providing vital information to medical professionals and emergency responders.

What is CLP?

CLP (Classification, Labelling, and Packaging) is a European regulation designed to ensure that all chemical products are appropriately classified, labeled, and packaged according to their hazards. This regulation requires that all hazardous art materials are labeled with hazard symbols, precautionary statements, and safety information, ensuring that users are informed of the risks associated with these products.

What is the Poison Centre?

The Poison Centre is an organization that collects and maintains safety data on hazardous products to ensure public health and safety. It serves as a resource for emergency responders and healthcare professionals, enabling them to access crucial product information when dealing with exposure to hazardous substances, including art materials.

Why is This Needed?

PCN submissions are needed for art materials to ensure that any potential hazards related to the chemicals used in these products are properly communicated to those who handle or are exposed to them. This helps prevent accidents, ensures that users know how to handle these products safely, and gives emergency responders the information they need to respond effectively in case of exposure.

Since When is This by Law Obligatory?

The submission of a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) for hazardous products, including art materials, became mandatory on January 1, 2021. This regulation is part of the EU’s efforts to improve chemical safety and ensure that hazardous substances are properly identified, labeled, and handled safely to minimize public health risks.

FAQ

Question: Do art materials need to be registered with the Poison Centre?

Answer: Yes, if the art material contains hazardous chemicals, it must be registered with the Poison Centre. This ensures that the Poison Centre has access to important safety data that can help emergency responders in case of accidents or exposure.

Question: What is the purpose of the UFI for art materials?

Answer: The UFI (Unique Formula Identifier) is used to uniquely identify the chemical formulation of an art material. It enables emergency responders to quickly trace the composition of the product and take the necessary actions in case of exposure or poisoning.

Question: Why do I need to submit a PCN for art materials?

Answer: Submitting a PCN ensures that safety information about the art material is available to emergency responders, medical professionals, and regulatory bodies. This helps prevent accidents and ensures quick and effective responses in case of any incidents involving the product.

Question: How does CLP apply to art materials?

Answer: CLP ensures that art materials containing hazardous chemicals are properly classified and labeled with appropriate hazard symbols and safety instructions. This helps users handle these materials safely and informs emergency responders of the potential risks in case of an accident.

Question: When did it become mandatory to submit a PCN for art materials?

Answer: The requirement to submit a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) for hazardous products, including art materials, became mandatory on January 1, 2021, as part of EU regulations aimed at improving chemical safety and protecting public health.

Question: How long does it take to submit the UFI and PCN notification?

It takes us a few days’ work. As soon as you upload the documentation, we will get started right away.

Question: Am I the owner of the PCN notification?

Yes, you are the owner of the PCN notification. You retain full ownership of the data you provided. The PCN notification will be accessible in your ECHA account.

Question: Is this service for one product or more?

The service is for one product.

Question: Why do I have to pay to create a UFI?

The service we offer is not just about providing a UFI. The UFI is a component within a much more extensive process. The core service we provide is the preparation and submission of your Poison Centre Notification (PCN) to national appointed bodies through ECHA portal, which is a mandatory requirement under the EU CLP Regulation for placing hazardous mixtures on the market. Generating a UFI is simplest part.  The PCN report, however, is complex. It demands detailed ingredient review—chemical classifications—formatted precisely for Poison Centre submission via ECHA.

Question: My company is not based in the EU, how can I submit a PCN?

We provide a solution for companies which are not based in the EU. You can find more information on the PCN & UFI for non-EU companies page.

Question: Can you provide Safety Data Sheets in full compliance with EU Regulation (REACH & CLP)?

Yes, we can create Safety Data Sheets (SDS)— also known as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)— tailored to your product and compliant with the latest EU regulations. Whether you are manufacturing chemical mixtures, importing products into the EU, or distributing under a private label, a compliant SDS is legally required and essential for safe use throughout the supply chain. You will find more on the Safety Data Sheet (MSDS/SDS) Creation Service page.