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 Growing Media
Growing media are essential materials used as substrates for root development, providing the necessary support and nutrients for plant growth. These materials, which are distinct from soil, can sometimes contain chemicals that pose risks if mishandled or improperly used. To ensure compliance with EU safety regulations and provide critical safety data in emergencies, a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is required for hazardous growing media products.
What is a UFI?
The Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) is a 16-character alphanumeric code that connects a specific growing media product to its Poison Centre Notification. The UFI must be printed on the product label, enabling poison centres to quickly identify the product and access its safety information during emergencies.
What is a PCN?
A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is a submission to Poison Centres containing detailed product information, such as its chemical composition, hazard classification, and intended use. For growing media, this ensures that poison centres can provide accurate and timely advice in the event of accidental exposure or misuse.
What is CLP?
The Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) regulation ensures that all hazardous chemicals are properly classified, labelled, and packaged. Growing media containing hazardous substances must display hazard symbols, precautionary statements, and the UFI on their labels to comply with CLP requirements and inform users of potential risks.
What is the Poison Centre?
The Poison Centre is a network of national organizations dedicated to addressing chemical exposure and poisoning incidents. By accessing PCN data, poison centres can provide detailed guidance and assistance in emergencies involving growing media or other hazardous products.
Why is This Needed?
Growing media can include chemicals such as wetting agents or fertilisers, which might pose health or environmental risks if mishandled. The PCN ensures that detailed safety and hazard information is available to poison centres, enabling effective emergency responses and enhancing overall safety.
Since When is This by Law Obligatory?
The requirement to submit a PCN for hazardous mixtures, including growing media, became legally mandatory on January 1, 2021, under Annex VIII of the CLP regulation.
FAQ
Question: Do all growing media require a PCN?
Answer: No, only growing media products classified as hazardous under the CLP regulation require a PCN.
Question: What details are needed to complete a PCN for growing media?
Answer: The PCN must include 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 on growing media products?
Answer: The UFI must be printed on the product label, close to the hazard and precautionary information.
Question: Who is responsible for submitting the PCN for growing media?
Answer: The manufacturer, importer, or downstream user who places the growing media product on the EU market is responsible for submitting the PCN.
Question: What are the consequences of not complying with PCN requirements?
Answer: Non-compliance can result in fines, product recalls, or restrictions on the sale of the product within the EU.
Question: Are growing media made from organic materials exempt from PCN requirements?
Answer: Organic growing media are exempt unless they contain hazardous substances classified 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.
