Taiwan’s EPA proposes changes to labelling requirements to chemical

Taiwan’s EPA plans to modify the “Regulations for the Labelling and Materials Safety Date Sheets for Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances” and is consulting until 20 August. This modification is to harmonize with EU’s Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) and to ensure the information of the labelling for toxic and concerned chemicals is clearly conveyed.

The current labelling is consisted of pictogram and content. On the content, it includes name, hazardous ingredients, cautious and warning words, hazard statement, precautionary statements, manufactures/suppliers’ information (e.g., name, address, telephone number).

According to the draft amendment published on July 21, key modifications are:

• Adding containers and packaging’ smallest size requirement. Manufacturers may use fordable labels or attached to the containers if the surfaces or materials of the containers are limited. 
• For toxic and concerned chemicals substances, if the hazardous characteristics cannot be classified in accordance with the classification schemed in the National Standard CNS 15030, manufacturers are allowed to only label name, hazardous ingredients and manufacturer/suppliers’ info.
• For package under 100 ml, it only needs to label name, pictogram and cautious and warning words.
• The government may issue specific wording to certain chemicals that are under control. For instance, in order to manage the use of Nitrous oxide (laughing gas), the government may ask manufacturers to include “restricted for industrial use, prohibited for recreational use”  

After the modification, Taiwanese government will give manufacturers one-year grace period to adopt to the new labelling requirements, which as the EPA stated is 31 August 2023.  

This modification can help industries to prepare the labelling more consistent with both export and import requirements. For package/container under 100 ml, the label requirements are reduced.