Glossary

BASTA

Responsible for the construction sector's phasing out of hazardous substances from construction products. A self-declaration system where suppliers and manufacturers of construction products register the chemicals that meet the requirements for content of substances with hazardous properties according to BASTA or BETA criteria.

Together, IVL Swedish Environmental Institute and the Swedish Construction Federation developed the joint organisation BASTA, a non-profit organisation. www.bastaonline.se

BASTA classified

The BASTA system's most stringent chemical composition criteria which restrict phase-out and risk reduction substances. The requirements are defined in the system's BASTA criteria. Applies to construction products and chemicals.

BETA classified

The system's basic chemical composition criteria, which restrict phase-out substances. The requirements are defined in the system's BETA criteria.

Candidate list

List of substances that are particularly hazardous – SVHC substances. Entails special requirements for manufacturers/importers/retailers/users of goods and chemicals containing more than 0.1% by weight of a substance on the candidate list. Examples of special requirements are registration and notification of safe use. Permission may be required in order to use chemicals with substances on the candidate list. The candidate list is found in Annex XVII in REACH.

CAS number (Chemical Abstract Services)

A way of identifying a chemical substance. Example of a CAS no: 68476-33-5.

Chemical

See chemical product.

Chemical hazard

Chemical substances which can cause ill health or accidents depending on how they are handled. For example hot liquids, grinding dust, exhaust gases or chemicals that require label elements.

Chemical pesticide

A chemical whose purpose is to prevent or counteract animals, plants or micro-organisms, including viruses, from causing harm or inconvenience to human health or damage to property.

Chemical product

Chemical substances or a mixture of chemical substances which have been manufactured or extracted and whose function is primarily determined by its chemical composition. Definition from Chapter 14, Section 2 Swedish Environmental Code (1998:808).

Chemical that requires label element

A chemical that is classified as hazardous to human health or the environment and is labelled with a hazard pictogram and/or hazard statement on the packaging (in sections 2 the safety data sheet).

Chemsoft

Svenska kraftnät's chemicals management system. Log in to Chemsoft Opens in a new window

Class A

The chemicals contain no or very low levels of substances with properties specified in the classification criteria. The criteria for Class A classification are the same as for registration in the BASTA directory.

Classification

Outcome of a review or self-assessment. A chemical can be classified A to C according to the BASTA criteria or "Exempt from review" or "No label elements required." The classification provides an assessment of the hazardousness of a chemical based on its inherent properties.

Acute toxicity, corrosive properties, the ability to cause allergies, resistance to degradation in soil and water are examples of intrinsic properties that may present a hazard to human health or the environment.

CMR

Carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.

Construction product

Any product or kit which is produced and placed on the market for permanent incorporation in construction works or parts thereof and the performance of which has an effect on the performance of the construction works with respect to the basic requirements for construction works. Definition according to Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, Article 2.

EC no.

Used to identify a substance. This is an official number within the EU and consists of an EINECS, ELINCS or NLP number. Example of an EC no: 270-675-6.

ECHA

The European Chemicals Agency.

Exposure

Refers to all possible exposure to substances that are hazardous to human health and the environment that may occur to humans and the environment.

Handling chemicals

Manufacturing, processing, handling, packaging, storage, transportation, use, disposal, destruction, conversion and similar procedures.

Hazard pictograms

Hazard pictograms warn of chemicals that are hazardous to human health, environmentally hazardous, flammable or explosive, and of pressurised gases.

Hazard statement

Hazard statements explain how the chemical is hazardous and are found in the safety data sheet and on the label.

Examples of hazard statements given in the classification criteria:

• H340 May cause genetic defects
• H350 May cause cancer
• H360 May damage fertility or the unborn child
• H362 May cause harm to breast-fed children
• H372 Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
• H373 May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
• H420 Harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere
• EUH059 Dangerous for the ozone layer

Material

Here, material refers to bulk materials which can be made into goods, for example wood, steel and plastic. Material is not defined in legislation.

Medical inspections

Statutory inspections which must be performed when preventive occupational hygiene, technical, psychological and organisational measures are not sufficient to protect against ill health.

Occupational exposure limits

There are occupational exposure limits for around 400 substances. They indicate the highest acceptable levels in inhalation air (see AFS Occupational exposure limits).

When there is an occupational exposure limit, an assessment must be made as to whether the content is acceptable with regard to the limit. This must also be documented. An exposure test must be performed if there is no other way to do this.

PBT/vPvB

Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic/very persistent and very bioaccumulative.

Particularly hazardous substances

The definition of particularly hazardous substances includes CMR substances, persistent and bioaccumulative substances, very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances, mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb).

Particularly hazardous substances also include endocrine-disrupting and highly allergenic ones, but there are no fixed criteria for these
properties and they are determined on a case by case basis. The specification of "A Non-toxic Environment" states that the use of particularly hazardous substances must cease as far as possible.

Phase-out substances

Substances with the properties listed below, according to the Swedish Chemicals Agency's PRIO list.

• CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction), category 1A and 1B
• PBT/vPvB (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic/very persistent and very bioaccumulative)
• Particularly hazardous metals (mercury, cadmium, lead and their compounds)
• Endocrine-disrupting
• Ozone-depleting

The criteria are harmonised with criteria according to REACH Article 57, substances of very high concern and criteria for inclusion in the candidate list. The criteria are harmonised with criteria for phase-out substances according to the environmental objective "A Non-toxic Environment".

Precautionary statement

Precautionary statements provide information on how to protect human health and the environment.

Product choice analysis

An analysis that describes how the Swedish Environmental Code's product choice principle has been applied.

Product choice principle

Also referred to as the substitution principle. This is laid down in the Swedish Environmental Code's general rules of consideration in Chapter 2 and applies to all operations.

In the supervision of the product choice principle, the focus will be on how the operation identifies chemicals containing particularly hazardous substances and finds alternatives.

This includes knowledge and procedures for working with product choice and a plan for replacing chemicals that contain particularly hazardous substances.

REACH

REACH is the EU chemicals regulation. REACH regulates chemical substances in chemicals and goods. The rules are contained in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.

Review report

The review report means that the chemical has been classified in groups A-D and you can see which special conditions from Svenska kraftnät must be met prior to use, in addition to the legal requirements.

Reviewer function

Chemical consultants who, on behalf of Svenska kraftnät, review the chemical's safety data sheet and classify chemicals based on their contents.

Risk reduction substances

Substances with the properties listed below, according to the Swedish Chemicals Agency's PRIO list.

• Very high acute toxicity (e.g. H330 Fatal if inhaled)
• Allergenic
• High chronic toxicity
• Mutagenic
• Dangerous to the environment, long-term effects
• Potential PBT/vPvB

The risks associated with the use of risk reduction substances should be limited according to the environmental objective "A Non-Toxic Environment". Risk reduction substances have a better health and environmental record than phase-out substances.

Safety sheet

A summary version of the safety data sheet where important safety information is provided.

Safety data sheet

Sheet with information on possible human health and environmental risks etc. and other properties of certain chemicals and preparations. The safety data sheet must contain 16 sections, in which the headings and order are mandatory. Annex II in REACH lists the headings that should be included in a safety data sheet.

A safety data sheet must be available for those chemicals and substances classified as hazardous (e.g. flammable, oxidising, explosive, hazardous to human health or the environment). A safety data sheet must also be available for substances and mixtures not classified as hazardous but which contain at least 1% (0.2% for gases) of a human health or environmental hazard or have an EU Occupational Exposure Limit.

Special conditions

Conditions in addition to legal requirements which Svenska kraftnät has for Class B chemicals or higher. Includes a product choice analysis and hazard assessment/risk analysis.

More about Special conditions.

Substance

Chemical substances are elements and compounds of elements in natural or manufactured form, including any additives necessary to preserve their stability and contaminants originating from the manufacturing process, but excluding any solvents which can be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or altering its composition.

Substitution principle

See product choice principle.

Supplier

Contractors and consultants who provide goods and services to Svenska kraftnät.

SVHC

Substances of Very High Concern. Substances with hazardous properties such as CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction in Class 1 or 2), PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) or vPvB (very persistent and very bioaccumulative) as well as endocrine-disrupting. The criteria for an SVHC substance are defined in REACH, Article 57. These substances are placed on the candidate list. Permission for use can be requested from ECHA.

The PRIO list

The PRIO list is a list/database of substances which should be prioritised in risk reduction and phasing out work. The tool has been developed by the Swedish Chemicals Agency.

The list can be helpful in adapting to the EU regulation REACH as well as in work on sustainable development and our common goal "A Non-Toxic Environment".