With the entry into force of Regulation 2017/542 (Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation), there is an obligation on the part of those who deal with chemical products, to notify poison centers at European level of all chemicals dangerous for human health, for which a new code will also be generated: the UFI CODE.
the UFI aims to establish a unique link between the information provided with the product placed on the market. The condition for assigning a UFI is that all products labeled and notified with the same UFI have the same mixture composition.
The UFI code is the unique formula identifier, a 16-character code that must be printed or affixed to the label of all products containing dangerous mixtures. If the mixture has no packaging, the UFI must be indicated in section 1.1 of the Safety Data Sheet.
To create a UFI for a blend, you need the company’s VAT number (or the “company key”) and a specific formulation number for the blend. By entering these two numbers in ECHA’s UFI generator online tool, the UFI code will be provided. The VAT number is a key element to ensure that the UFI is unique, so that there is no overlap between UFIs generated by different companies.
The timing for including the UFI on the label coincides with the presentation of the harmonized information that depends on the final use of the product; final destination means the use of a mixture as the last step before the end of the useful life of the mixture, that is, before the mixture is disposed of as waste, is included in an article or consumed in a process.
The deadlines for new products are as follows:
Mixtures for consumer and / or professional use: from 1 January 2021
Mixtures for industrial use: from 1 January 2024
For blends notified before 1 January 2021, and therefore already on the market, it is possible to benefit from a transitional period during which the notifications submitted will remain valid until 1 January 2025 or until changes are made to the product.
By 2025, therefore, the UFI will be mandatory on the label of all products classified as dangerous that present risks to health or a danger to the safety of the person.
