Communication throughout a supply chain
The need to provide a safety data sheet (SDS) has grown mainly due to demands from downstream users. Many former SDSs were meaningless as they included little or no relevant information; particularly for unclassified substances. Following REACH, industry can now address this situation and provide an appropriate and useful SDS when required.
Note that a substance SDS is mandatory only for those substances that meet the following criteria (see REACH article 31 and CLP article 59).
The substance:
(a) is classified as hazardous under the CLP Regulation (1272/2008/EC) or as dangerous under the Dangerous Substances Directive (67/548/EEC); or
(b) it is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT), or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) as defined in Annex XIII of the REACH Regulation; or
(c) is included in the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Candidate List of substances of very high concern.
Note, if you are a REACH registrant of the following Mn-based substances, it is not mandatory to provide an SDS as these substances do not meet any of the criteria mentioned above:
- Manganese (EINECS: 231-105-1)
- Manganese oxide (EINECS: 215-695-8)
- Trimanganese tetraoxide (EINECS: 215-266-5)
- Manganese carbonate (EINECS: 209-942-9)
- Slags, FeMn-manufacturing (EINECS: 273-728-1)
- Slags, SiMn-manufacturing (EINECS: 273-733-9)