Archives on September, 2015

2.9 Codes for areas of use (industrial categories)

2.9      Codes for areas of use (industrial categories)

The Nordic product registers use the NACE (the statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community which was also embodied in the EEA Agreement by the EFTA countries) codes to indicate the branches of industry where the products are used. Unfortunately, the European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) does not use the same system, which makes analyses linking data from different sources more complicated and less useful. All the Nordic registers report to SPIN using NACE at the 2-digit level.

When the number of products allow it Denmark and Sweden also report to SPIN in more detailed national codes based on NACE.

The Danish register use the Danish Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities from Statistics Denmark. It is a 6-digit subdivision of NACE with 2 leading characters designating the main groups of NACE.

Swedish Industrial codes have their origin in NACE codes by the adoption of Standard Industrial Classification; SIC 92 into SE-SIC 92, Swedish Standard Industrial Classification. This classification is used by Statistics Sweden for official statistics. A selection of those codes has been used as codes for reporting industrial category to the products register since 1992. Those industrial categories cover all economic activities in Sweden to a different level for different categories. It was considered more important with high resolutions, more detailed coding, for report of the economic activities dealing for the most part with chemicals than for others less related to such. This means that some economic activities are reported only with their NACE section, one level only, to the register whereas some are reported to the level with section and five digits.

2.8 Function of a substance in a product

2.8      Function of a substance in a product

In Denmark, the function of a substance in a product has been evaluated and registered by the product register. In Norway, the companies submitting declarations provide such data on a voluntary basis. Stating of the function of a substance is in Sweden only done when the substance is intended to act as a preservative in the product. For the moment, data regarding function of substances in products and preparations are only included in SPIN based on data from the Danish Product Register.

2.7 Quality control in the Nordic product registers

2.7      Quality control in the Nordic product registers

Except for the systematic checking of classification information done by the Finnish product register, none of the Nordic product registers has systematic routines for checking whether the data submitted by the companies are correct. However, data on quantities may be checked in connection with the annual update in Norway and Sweden. For example, information may be checked if disagreements with previously reported figures are found. In Norway and Sweden, companies are also required to check various types of information when they submit their annual updates. In Norway, this applies to whether the danger categories recorded are correct, and whether the composition of the product has been changed.

2.6 Updating of the Nordic product registers and SPIN

2.6      Updating of the Nordic product registers and SPIN

In the Norwegian and Swedish product registers, the quantities, the classification, the codes for areas of use and the codes for product types are updated every year, and trends can therefore be followed for both substances and products. In Finland only the quantities are updated each year. In Denmark only the quantities are updated every second year.

For all the Registers updating of the other information given by the company at registration like composition and physical properties is supposed to happen whenever these conditions are altered.

The SPIN database is updated on a yearly basis making the assumption, that data delivered from each register are as updated as they can be.

2.5 The Nordic product registers information on product composition

2.5      The Nordic product registers information on product composition

Of the Nordic countries, only Denmark and Norway require information on all constituents for most products for which declaration is mandatory. Denmark has complete information on composition for the largest number of products. In Sweden, substances that are not classified as dangerous and that make up less than 5 per cent of a product may be omitted from the declaration. In Finland, information on the composition of products is registered from the safety data sheets. Complete information on the exact composition is consequently not necessarily given.

2.4 Substances and products in the Nordic product registers

2.4      Substances and products in the Nordic product registers

The Nordic product registers are among the most comprehensive product registers in the world with regard to completeness of information and the number of registered products and substances. The Nordic product registers contain valuable information on the actual use of chemical preparations and substances on the market both in terms of volumes, number of products, composition of products and the function and industrial categories where the substance can be found.

Of the Nordic product registers, the Danish and Swedish product registers contain information on the largest numbers of products and the highest proportion of products on the market.

In Sweden, the declaration requirements are based on the customs tariff codes, so that as a general rule, they apply to all chemical products (substances and preparations). The Swedish register therefore contains more products than those that are classified as dangerous according to EU legislation.

In Norway, declaration is mandatory for all products to which the Regulations relating to the classification, labelling, etc. of dangerous chemicals (the Chemical Labelling Regulations) apply, including consumer products. These regulations implement EU directives on the classification, labelling, etc. of chemicals in Norwegian legislation.

The requirements for declaration to the Finnish and Danish product registers are also based on these directives (In Denmark, declaration is limited to dangerous products for business use), but there are additional extensive national rules for declaration. In Finland these additional requirements for example apply to chemicals that cause danger although they are not classified, and in Denmark they apply to chemicals that cause danger although they are not classified and solvents, pesticides and biocides.

All four countries exempt products that come under legislation on foodstuffs and medicinal products from mandatory declaration. Furthermore, the duty to declare products to the product registers does not apply to cosmetic products.

In addition, there is in principle no requirement to declare solid processed articles to any of the registers. Thus, the duty to declare products to the registers does not include chemicals in textiles, chipboard, etc. But if the articles are produced in the Nordic countries the raw materials used may be declared. There is also a general exemption from the duty to declare chemicals in Sweden, Finland and Norway, if the quantity produced or imported is less than 100 kg per year (in Finland no exact amount is given). This means that small volumes of chemicals (e.g. laboratory chemicals, products for dental services) may escape registration.

The confidentiality of data in the registers is handled according to national regulations. The SPIN Database and publication of statistics makes it possible to produce public information based on the confidential information in the registers.

2.3 The kind of data in SPIN

2.3      The kind of data in SPIN

SPIN is the result of a common Nordic initiative to gather non-confidential, summarised information from the Nordic product registers on the common use of chemical substances in different types of products and industrial areas. The name SPIN stands for “Substances in Preparations in the Nordic Countries” but no specific product names are to be found among the data. The only names specified are the names of the commonly used chemical substances. All the data are summarised and no references can be made to specific concentrations of any given substance in any kind of product. The summarised data in SPIN are in general based on the following data in the Nordic product registers:

General substance information:

Summarised information on use of substances:

*)   Volume = produced volume + imported volume – exported volume. exported volume (In Finland produced volume + imported volume).

2.2 The Nordic product registers

2.2      The Nordic product registers

The Nordic product registers are central registers that keep information on chemical substances and products. National legislation requires manufacturers and importers to declare chemical substances and products to the product registers. Data in the registers includes information on function, industrial category, classification, composition, quantity etc. The registers are useful tools for the national authorities and poison information centres in efforts to prevent injury to health and environmental damage resulting from chemicals. Data in the registers is used as support for risk assessments, statistical calculations, substance flow analyses and supervision activities, and SPIN is intended to become an important tool in the same kind of work.

2.12 Limits in the use of data

2.12    Limits in the use of data

It is important to always remember that the use accounted for in SPIN is the use of substances in chemical products and preparations. The selection of registered products and preparations is different between the Nordic countries, but most important is that non-chemical products are not included. Thus the substance can very well be used and present in other kinds of products because the quantities refer to use in chemical products only. For example biocides and heavy metals contained in articles are not inluded in SPIN.

SPIN gives a rough estimation of quantities used in different areas in the Nordic countries. The figures are not as accurate as the number of digits suggests, when using them preferably round them off considerably.

2.12 Limits in the use of data

2.12    Limits in the use of data

It is important to always remember that the use accounted for in SPIN is the use of substances in chemical products and preparations. The selection of registered products and preparations is different between the Nordic countries, but most important is that non-chemical products are not included. Thus the substance can very well be used and present in other kinds of products because the quantities refer to use in chemical products only. For example biocides and heavy metals contained in articles are not inluded in SPIN.

SPIN gives a rough estimation of quantities used in different areas in the Nordic countries. The figures are not as accurate as the number of digits suggests, when using them preferably round them off considerably.