Classification of Environmental Hazardous Mixtures

摘要

The international UN/GHS classification criteria for environmentally hazardous materials (EHS) is well established and its use has been required since 2010. At the time of adoption internationally, numerous concerns were raised about the complexity of the criteria, especially in the context of mixtures that contain one or more constituents that are known to be hazardous to the environment. Where complete data are not available, the criteria allow for the use of various techniques for classification, including use of "bridging principals" or the "summation method." Use of these techniques may require some subjective interpretation to fill data gaps. While this complexity is still relevant today, the focus of this article is not on how the EHS classification criteria works but rather on classification differences, disputes, the hidden costs associated with compliance, and opportunities for regulatory reformⅰ.