Miscellaneous Questions

My product has been registered, why is it not visible immediately on the Ranked List of Registered Products?

The certification process finishes the moment a supplier receives a Template. However, a product will only appear on the Definitive Ranked List of Registered Products after the list is next updated. The update is every other Tuesday.

What is the definition of “substance” in the registration process?

The OSPAR definition of a substance refers to a single chemical component, in the natural state or obtained by any manufacturing process, including any additive necessary to preserve its stability and any impurity deriving from the process used, but excluding any solvent which may be separated without affecting the stability of the substance or changing its composition.

What is a surfactant?

A surfactant means any substance, which has surface-active properties according to test method OCED 115 which consists of one or more hydrophilic and one or more hydrophobic groups of such a nature and size that is capable of reducing the surface tension of water, and of forming spreading or absorption monolayers at the water-air interface, and of forming emulsions and/or microemulsions and/or micelles, and of absorption at water-solid interfaces.

What are the effects of the ‘Pre-screening scheme’?

The pre-screening allows authorities to identify substances intended to be used or used as, or in, offshore chemicals with the aim of:

1. substituting, and ultimately phasing out, those substances which are hazardous; this is achieved by ‘substitution warnings’
2. regulating and controlling the other substances, where necessary

Detailed information of the OSPAR Pre-Screening Scheme can be found here.

What can I do if I notice an error in our company's entry on the List of Notified Chemicals or product templates?

Cefas maintains all the records of product submissions made to the OCNS on behalf of the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). This includes issuing the List of Notified Chemicals and product templates, which makes Cefas responsible for the accuracy of entries on them.

It should be remembered that HOCNF documents are our only guide to the format of entry that is required on the list, and we will reproduce both the syntax and spelling of the company and product names as shown on these documents.

If changes to the text in the list or other documents are required, for any reason, The OCNS team can be contacted directly in writing (email, fax or letter) and amendments will be made, if appropriate.

Do OCNS groupings apply to other OSPAR countries?

Although the HMCS applies in all OSPAR signatory countries, each country operates its own regulatory scheme to implement Decision 2000/2. If you intend to market and use OCNS-classified products outside the UK and Netherlands territory, the relevant regulatory authorities should be consulted to determine the correct notification procedures.