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Product Notifications and Poisonings

Chemical products are mostly multi-component mixtures. They contain components that may pose health risks for consumers, especially if they are not used as intended.

Although these health risks can be identified in part by the user via the product’s hazard labelling, in the event of a poisoning or a suspected poisoning, detailed knowledge of the product composition must be available to ensure the best medical advice and treatment.

Eine Frau sprüht Glasreiniger auf einen Spiegel

 

Notification Requirements for Companies and Physicians

Notification to the BfR is mandatory for

  • Product (mixtures) classified as hazardous
  • Detergent and cleaning agents
  • Cases of poisoning
  • Cases of suspected poisoning

The pages mentioned contain detailed information on the notification procedure.

Poisoning Risks

The BfR provides information on recently identified health risks and on other current topics via press releases and other means of communication.

The BfR "Poisoning Accidents in Children" App

For the prevention of accidents, the BfR provides various booklets as well as the BfR "Poisoning Accidents in Children" app, currently only available in German. The app was developed to provide information about poisoning accidents in children and how they can be prevented. It is able to make direct calls to a poisons centre in the event of an emergency.

Booklets

A lot of information is also available from the following booklets:

You can find these, as well as other booklets, including different language versions, at the bottom of the page under the heading "Booklets".

The booklets are free of charge. To order, please click on our booklet page.

List of Poisonous Plants

A list of plants that are not recommended to be planted in public spaces used by children, e. g., playgrounds, kindergartens and outdoor pools, was published in the Federal Gazette: List of Poisonous Plant Species, revised and updated in 2021. The list is available here.

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Das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

Notification of Hazardous Products

Which formulations have to be disclosed? Compositions of chemical products are usually valuable confidential business information. Since knowledge of product composition is highly relevant for administering proper medical advice and treatment, it is mandatory to provide notification of such products before launching them on the market.

Notification of Detergents and Cleaning Agents

Detergents and cleaning agents (WRM) are in general subject to notification in Germany. There is a requirement to transmit data for medical purposes to the BfR according to §10 of the national Detergents and Cleaning Agents Act and Article 9 of the European Regulation on Detergents (EC) No. 648/2004, if no notification requirement arises from one of the legal provisions described in the following paragraphs.

Voluntary notifications

Information on chemical products outside the scope of Art. 45 / Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation or the Detergent and Cleaning Agents Act § 10 can be submitted to the BfR on a voluntary basis....

Poisoning Reports

Physicians are required to report poisonings according to § 16e (2) of the national Chemicals Act. Poisonings caused by chemical substances or products (including cases with suspected poisoning) are reported to the BfR in an anonymised form.

Opinion

 (3)
Date Title Size
07.10.2020
BfR Opinion No 047/2020
Dry ice: carbon dioxide poisoning is possible 305.4 KB
PDF-File
06.09.2010
BfR Opinion No. 041/2010
Health risks of nitric acid-containing cleaning products 100.2 KB
PDF-File
10.08.2009
BfR Opinion No. 050/2009
Risk of asphyxia in toddlers through the consumption of nuts - BfR recommends product label for consumers 27.0 KB
PDF-File

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FAQ

 (2)
Date Title Size
17.08.2016
BfR FAQs
Selected questions and answers about barbecuing 64.9 KB
PDF-File
10.10.2012
BfR FAQs
FAQs about the trendy drink Bubble Tea 56.0 KB
PDF-File

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Publications - Brochures

 (1)
Date Title Size
22.11.2019
Brochure
Health Risks of Carbon Monoxide 702.0 KB
PDF-File

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Other documents

 (1)
Date Title Size
15.12.2009
BfR Information No 047/2009
45 years of successful preventive work by the BfR Committee for the Assessment of Poisonings 27.6 KB
PDF-File

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Press releases

 (54)
Date Title Keywords
04.04.2023
07/2023
Wild garlic: confusion often leads to poisoning intoxication / poisoning, poisonous plants
12.12.2022
45/2022
Gifts and fairy lights: Button cells can cause serious health damage to small children if swallowed intoxication / poisoning, product safety
13.10.2022
38/2022
Carbon monoxide - invisible danger when heating with wood carbon monoxide , intoxication / poisoning
06.09.2022
32/2022
Mushrooms: confusion can be life-threatening intoxication / poisoning
17.03.2022
08/2022
Wild garlic: "doppelgangers" often lead to poisoning intoxication / poisoning, poisonous plants
09.07.2021
32/2021
Only enjoy cooked beans food ingredients , food poisoning
06.12.2019
51/2019
Study on e-cigarettes: In Germany so far no life-threatening poisoning by e-cigarette use ("vaping") cigarettes , electronic cigarette , product safety , risk communication
26.11.2019
48/2019
From lamp oil to e-liquids - danger can lurk in everyday life intoxication / poisoning
22.11.2019
46/2019
Carbon monoxide - the underestimated hazard carbon monoxide , intoxication / poisoning
05.02.2019
07/2019
Poisoning accidents among children: free material gives information on the BfR app intoxication / poisoning, risk communication
23.11.2018
43/2018
Button cell batteries: Swallowing can lead to severe health damage in small children intoxication / poisoning
31.10.2018
36/2018
Poisoned? The BfR app for emergencies chemical safety , Poison Control Centre
14.06.2017
23/2017
Barbecuing - summer fun for outdoors only carbon monoxide , grill / barbecue , intoxication / poisoning
05.10.2016
41/2016
Adhesive flaps on paper tissue packagings can lead to choking accidents with small children product safety
29.09.2016
37/2016
Dangerous confusion: mushroom poisoning can be deadly intoxication / poisoning
29.10.2015
31/2015
Monkshood, angel's trumpet and castor bean - the risk of acute poisoning from plants poisonous plants
21.08.2014
23/2014
Prize-winning BfR app for poisoning accidents among children Poison Control Centre
23.05.2014
12/2014
BfR app "Poisoning Accidents Among Children" receives German Prize for Online Communication chemical safety , chemicals , Poison Control Centre
31.03.2014
07/2014
New liquid laundry washing detergents can cause poisoning accidents involving children chemical safety , Poison Control Centre , washing and cleaning agents
01.10.2013
27/2013
Grilling with charcoal is definitely not an indoor pursuit! carbon monoxide , grill / barbecue
18.09.2013
26/2013
Protecting children from poisoning risk communication
22.08.2013
24/2013
Poisoning accidents among children: New App Facilitates First Aid and Prevention chemical safety , Poison Control Centre
28.08.2012
24/2012
By experts for experts: the first BfR-Summer school successfully completed
02.03.2012
10/2012
Dubious herbal mixtures and dangerous mushrooms
29.02.2012
09/2012
Skull and crossbones for nitric acid
14.10.2011
35/2011
Protecting Children from Poisoning
27.06.2011
20/2011
Talc-containing baby powder is a health risk
23.06.2011
19/2011
Charcoal grills should not be used indoors

06/2011
Poisonous mercury discoveries on derelict industrial sites

05/2011
Tightening of trade in lamp oils and grill lighter fluids
03.02.2010
03/2010
Carbon monoxide poisoning on the increase indoors
22.12.2009
37/2009
Danger of suffocation for infants from nuts
15.12.2009
34/2009
Identifying, assessing and preventing intoxications
24.08.2009
21/2009
Science for the protection of consumers
17.07.2009
18/2009
Indoor grilling with charcoal is very dangerous!
10.06.2009
12/2009
Protect children from poisoning
15.12.2008
27/2008
Impregnating sprays and tattoo-removing agents
21.11.2008
25/2008
To successfully treat intoxications caused by consumer products, the formulations must be known
02.09.2008
15/2008
New warnings for dangerous chemicals aim to afford consumers better protection
16.11.2007
20/2007
Doctor’s obligation to report intoxications remains under the European chemicals legislation REACH
21.06.2007
08/2007
No regrets when barbecuing: Pay attention to hygiene and correct preparation of food
05.06.2007
06/2007
Detergent and cleaning agent formulations must be notified to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
18.04.2007
02/2007
Childproof oil lamps are possible!
07.07.2006
19/2006
Health effects should be systematically recorded for industrial and transport accidents involving chemicals!
26.05.2006
12/2006
Nano particles were not the cause of health problems triggered by sealing sprays!
12.04.2006
10/2006
Cause of intoxications with nano spray not yet fully elucidated
31.03.2006
08/2006
Exercise caution when using "nano-sealing sprays" containing a propellant!
12.01.2006
02/2006
From welding fumes to sewage gas - Hidden risks for consumers
24.05.2005
15/2005
BfR warns about intoxication incidents involving liquid grill lighters
15.04.2005
10/2005
Risk of mix-up with bear's garlic
21.02.2005
07/2005
Exercise care to prevent intoxications in the home and hobby sphere!
14.07.2004
07/2004
Two new child fatalities caused by lamp oils!
05.09.2003
21/2003
Poisoned by the "meat of the Gods"
18.02.2003
04/2003
Watch out for burns during building work!

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Communication

 (2)
Date Title Size
04.09.2015
BfR communication No. 027/2015
Caution when eating bitter-tasting courgettes (zucchini) 56.0 KB
PDF-File
21.07.2015
BfR communication No. 021/2015
Dietary supplements containing dinitrophenol (DNP) can lead to severe intoxication and even to death 64.3 KB
PDF-File

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External Links

 (1)
Link
Gesetz zum Schutz vor gefährlichen Stoffen (Chemikalien-Gesetz)

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