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:
| Belgium | (BE) | Spain | (ES) | Hungary | (HU) | Slovakia | (SK) |
| Bulgaria | (BG) | France | (FR) | Malta | (MT) | Finland | (FI) |
| Czechia | (CZ) | Croatia | (HR) | Netherlands | (NL) | Sweden | (SE) |
| Denmark | (DK) | Italy | (IT) | Austria | (AT) | Germany | (DE) |
| Cyprus | (CY) | Poland | (PL) | Iceland | (IS) | Estonia | (EE) |
| Latvia | (LV) | Portugal | (PT) | Liechtenstein | (LI) | Ireland | (IE) |
| Lithuania | (LT) | Romania | (RO) | Norway | (NO) | Greece | (EL) |
| Luxembourg | (LU) | Slovenia | (SI) | Switzerland* | (CH) |
*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.
Poison Centre Notification for Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers, which contain fire extinguishing chemicals such as foam, are critical safety devices designed to control small fires. These products are classified as hazardous due to the chemicals they contain, which could pose risks to human health or the environment if mishandled. To comply with EU regulations and ensure the safety of consumers and emergency responders, fire extinguishers require a Poison Centre Notification (PCN). This ensures that poison centers have the necessary data to respond effectively to emergencies involving these products.
What is a UFI?
The Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) is a 16-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the chemical composition of the fire extinguisher. The UFI must be included on the product label, providing emergency responders with fast and accurate information about the product’s hazardous properties in case of exposure or accidents.
What is a PCN?
A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is a submission made to Poison Centres that provides detailed product information, including its chemical composition, hazard classification, intended use, and packaging. For fire extinguishers, the PCN helps poison centers access key data in emergencies, enabling them to give accurate medical advice and guide appropriate responses.
What is CLP?
The Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) regulation ensures that hazardous products like fire extinguishers are properly classified, labeled, and packaged to inform users about potential risks. Fire extinguishers must display appropriate hazard symbols, precautionary statements, and the UFI to comply with the CLP regulation and ensure that the product is handled safely.
What is the Poison Centre?
The Poison Centre is a network of national organizations within the European Union that respond to chemical exposure and poisoning cases. By receiving detailed information through the PCN, poison centers can provide quick, accurate medical guidance during emergencies involving fire extinguishers and other hazardous products.
Why is This Needed?
Fire extinguishers often contain chemicals that can be harmful if misused or mishandled. A Poison Centre Notification ensures that poison centers have immediate access to product data in case of accidental exposure or emergencies. This improves response times and helps prevent injuries or health hazards.
Since When is This by Law Obligatory?
The requirement to submit a PCN for hazardous mixtures, including fire extinguishers, was made mandatory under Annex VIII of the CLP regulation, which came into effect on January 1, 2021.
FAQ
Question: Do all fire extinguishers require a PCN?
Answer: Yes, all fire extinguishers containing hazardous chemicals such as foam or other fire suppressing agents require a PCN under EU law.
Question: What information is needed to complete a PCN?
Answer: The PCN requires details about the product’s chemical composition, hazard classification, intended use, packaging, and the Unique Formula Identifier (UFI).
Question: Where should the UFI be displayed?
Answer: The UFI must be prominently displayed on the product label, close to the hazard and precautionary information, to ensure visibility during emergencies.
Question: Who is responsible for submitting the PCN?
Answer: The manufacturer, importer, or distributor who places the fire extinguisher on the EU market is responsible for submitting the PCN.
Question: What are the consequences of non-compliance?
Answer: Non-compliance with PCN requirements can lead to fines, product recalls, or restrictions on the sale of fire extinguishers within the EU market.
Question: Are all fire extinguishers subject to PCN requirements?
Answer: Yes, fire extinguishers that contain hazardous chemicals are required to comply with the PCN submission requirements under the CLP regulation.
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.
