Chemical Management for Consumer Products

Chemical management is key to helping protect final consumers, workers and the environment. People often encounter chemicals in consumer products in their daily lives without realizing it.

Liquids, gels, pastes and powders are just a few examples. If these kinds of mixtures are not properly formulated or produced, they may pose an even more serious threat to consumers than other types of products due to their more direct and prolonged exposure.

Consumers can be harmed from exposure of hazardous substances in chemical products by:

• Inhalation
• Dermal contact
• Ingestion
• Eye contact

Effective chemical management practices implemented from the concept phase through the finished product phase are also key to protecting workers, communities and the environment from exposure to chemicals.

As the concern over chemical safety in consumer products has risen drastically in the past years, global safety regulations have been established in different countries to restrict toxic chemical substances that pose potential harm to consumers and the environment.

UL Solutions chemical management services can help untangle often-complex chemical regulations and take a more sustainable approach: a good chemical management system is an example of applied sustainability as the intent is to eliminate toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment, from the entire production cycle.

In our state-of-the-art laboratories located around the world, UL Solutions experts are able to support brands, retailers and manufacturers with chemical testing and analysis services to assess whether their products meet the requirements of European, Asian and U.S. chemical regulations, including but not limited to:

• EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 Substances of Very High Concern
• EU REACH Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 Annex XVII
• EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU and further amendments
• EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, covering the classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures
• U.S. state regulations, including California Proposition 65 (CA Prop 65) and various state regulations for chemicals of high concern to children
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
• U.S. EPA, California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Montreal Protocols
• Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA)
• China Measures for the Administration of the Restricted Use of the Hazardous Substances Contained in Electrical and Electronic Products (also known as China RoHS)
• China GB 6675 National Safety Technical Code for Toys
• China GB/T 39498 Guidelines for the Use of and Control of Key Chemical Substances in Consumer Products

One of the most effective strategies to manufacture a product safely and responsibly, while reducing chemical risks, is to shift the focus from the finished product (the production output) to the formulations and chemicals used in the manufacturing process (the production input).

Though the compliance of a finished product is a must according to most toxic substances regulations, the use of safer input chemicals is paramount to make the production sustainable. Proper control of input chemicals helps production comply with legal requirements and can lead to a more protected environment, a safer workplace and a more sustainable industry, with the final goal of eliminating the use of hazardous substances.

UL Solutions can help you:

• Navigate compliance with applicable regulations
• Reduce risk from hazardous chemicals
• Build trust with customers

Contact us to verify your products meet global safety standards.