Sodium metaperiodate has been re-classified following testing required by ECHA for REACH registration. The new classification is: Skin Corrosive 1C, causes severe skin burns and eye damage; STOT RE 1, causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure; Aquatic Acute 1, very toxic to aquatic life; Oxidising Solid 1, may cause fire or explosion and; Eye Damage 1, causes serious eye damage.
This has effected the transport classification, which is now UN 3085 Oxidising Solid, Corrosive N.O.S. Primary Class 5.1, Subsidiary Risk 8, Packing Group I.
Manufacturers and importers selling less than 100 tonnes per annum are not yet required to register under REACH and so may have a different classification. However, all manufacturers and importers will have to meet the new classification following the next REACH registration deadline on 1st June 2018 for substances supplied to market below 100 tonnes per annum.
Sodium metaperiodate is used by a significant number of ESMA members. Some members are purchasing sodium metaperiodate from the joint REACH registrants in Europe. Other members are purchasing the material from other sources, who have not yet implemented the new classification, which is causing discrepancies of classification and labelling in the supply chain between ESMA members.
Following analysis of the test data and re-testing conducted by the REACH registrant that confirms the new classification is correct, the ESMA Health Safety and Environmental Protection (HSEP) Committee has agreed that the new classification is justified and should be followed by all ESMA members, in line with the ESMA Code of Conduct:
3.3 Standards set up by ESMA HSEP Committee
(i) A Member shall abide by the standards set up by the HSEP (Health, Safety and Environmental Protection) Committee of ESMA. These standards are set out in Appendix 2.
(ii) Members warrant that all requirements necessary to meet their obligations with respect to labelling, packaging and the provision of information as set up by the HSEP Committee will be observed.
The ESMA HSEP committee recognises that the re-classification will cause significant impact to ESMA members, but feels that the regulatory reclassification necessitates this change.
Peter Buttiens, ESMA CEO
Gabriele Heller, ESMA HSEP Committee Chair
