Legislation Reminder: EU regulations on importing chemicals into Ireland

If your company imports chemicals into Ireland from outside the European Union or the UK, you should ensure that you and your business are fully up to date with EU chemical legislation.  

There are three key chemical regulations to be aware of if your business is involved in the importation of chemicals; REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), CLP (Clarification, Labelling and Packaging), and PIC (Prior Informed Consent). 

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals): 

Under the REACH regulation, companies who import chemical mixtures are required to register each individual substance within the mixture if the substance is imported in quantities at or above one tonne per year. This also applies in instances where the same substance is imported within multiple different mixtures, as the tonnage is calculated on a cumulative basis.  

Businesses should also ensure to regularly check the candidate, authorisation and restriction lists for updated information on what chemicals are listed.  

CLP (Clarification, Labelling and Packaging): 

The CLP regulation deals with the correct labelling and classification of chemicals, both for chemicals that are for a company’s own use and chemicals that are intended for supply to other companies.  

The HSA reminds businesses to ensure that they are labelling and categorising chemicals correctly, in line with CLP laws.  

PIC (Prior Informed Consent): 

On 1 March 2025, there will be an update to the PIC regulation.  

The update to PIC requirements will introduce additional rules for EU exporters, who will now be required to declare their intention to export 40 additional hazardous chemicals. Thirty-five of these additional hazardous chemicals are pesticides, and five are industrial chemicals.  

This update presents a valuable opportunity for business owners to revisit chemical legislation and to ensure that they are compliant with all aspects of these laws.  

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment  

If your company is involved in the transport of dangerous goods by road, you should also ensure that you are compliant with the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2011, as amended. 

These regulations apply to all parties involved in the transport of dangerous goods; so even if your client is transporting the chemicals, you will need to ensure compliance if your company has been involved in any way. This applies to the consignment, packing, loading, filling and unloading of dangerous goods. 

It is also crucial that you ensure that the drivers, and any other workers involved in the transportation, are adequately trained to meet these requirements.