PCN & UFI for Pressroom Chemicals

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.

Poison Centre Notification for Pressroom Chemicals

Pressroom chemicals, such as fountain solutions and blanket washes, play a critical role in the printing industry. These chemicals are often used in processes where there is a risk of exposure to hazardous substances. As a result, under the EU regulations, manufacturers and importers of pressroom chemicals, other than inks, must submit a Poison Centre Notification (PCN) to ensure the safety of workers and consumers who may be exposed to these chemicals. The PCN ensures that emergency responders have access to vital information, allowing them to take appropriate action in case of exposure or accidents.

What is a UFI?

The Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) is a specific code used to identify a chemical mixture. For pressroom chemicals such as fountain solutions or blanket washes, the UFI must be displayed on the product’s label. This code ensures that emergency responders can quickly and accurately identify the composition of the chemical in the event of an emergency, allowing for a swift response to potential hazards.

What is a PCN?

A Poison Centre Notification (PCN) is a report submitted to the Poison Centres that includes detailed information about the chemical mixture, its hazards, and emergency response measures. The PCN provides information on substances contained in pressroom chemicals, allowing healthcare professionals and emergency responders to better manage potential risks associated with chemical exposure, especially in industries where these chemicals are frequently used.

What is CLP?

The Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation is a legal framework in the EU that ensures chemicals are classified, labelled, and packaged with clear hazard information. For pressroom chemicals, the CLP label must include the appropriate hazard symbols, signal words, and safety instructions. This ensures that users are informed about the risks of handling such chemicals, contributing to safer working environments in printing and related industries.

What is the Poison Centre?

The Poison Centre is a network of organizations across EU member states that gather, manage, and disseminate information on hazardous chemicals. They provide crucial assistance to healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and the public in cases of exposure or poisoning. For pressroom chemicals, registering with the Poison Centre guarantees that the relevant safety information is accessible when needed during emergencies.

Why is This Needed?

Pressroom chemicals, such as fountain solutions and blanket washes, can pose health risks if improperly handled or if exposure occurs during the printing process. A Poison Centre Notification ensures that emergency services have access to important information about these chemicals, which helps mitigate health risks and enables timely and effective emergency responses. This registration is essential to maintaining safety standards within the industry and protecting workers and consumers from potential harm.

Since When is This by Law Obligatory?

Since January 1, 2021, the EU’s CLP Regulation Annex VIII mandates that manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemical mixtures, including pressroom chemicals, submit a Poison Centre Notification (PCN). This requirement is part of the EU’s broader effort to improve chemical safety and ensure that necessary safety information is readily available for emergency responders.

FAQ

Question: Why do I need to submit a PCN for pressroom chemicals?

Answer: Submitting a PCN ensures that emergency responders have the right information about your pressroom chemicals, such as fountain solutions or blanket washes, in case of exposure or accidents. The PCN helps prevent serious health risks by providing important safety data on the product’s composition and hazards.

Question: What happens if I do not submit a PCN for my pressroom chemicals?

Answer: Failure to submit a PCN can lead to legal consequences, including fines or the removal of your product from the EU market. Additionally, emergency services would not have access to essential safety information, which could result in ineffective responses during incidents and increased health risks for workers.

Question: How can I submit a PCN for my pressroom chemicals?

Answer: To submit a PCN, you must provide detailed information about the chemical composition of your product, classify it under the CLP regulation, and report this information to the appropriate Poison Centre in your EU member state. We offer full assistance in generating the UFI, preparing the labels, and ensuring your product is compliant with EU regulations.

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.