Ethanol: Evaluation of the effects on reproduction, recommendation for classification

On request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council of the Netherlands evaluates the effects on the reproduction of substances at the workplace. The Health Council’s Committee for Compounds Toxic to Reproduction recommends to classify compounds toxic to reproduction according to the Directive 93/21/EEC of the European Union. In the present report the committee has reviewed ethanol.

The committee’s recommendations are:

• For effects on fertility, the committee recommends that ethanol should be classified in category 1 (Substances known to impair fertility in humans) and labelled with R60 (may impair fertility).

• For developmental toxicity, the committee recommends to classify ethanol in category 1 (Substances known to cause developmental toxicity in humans) and labelled with R61 (may cause harm to the unborn child).

• For effects during lactation, the committee recommends that ethanol should be labelled with R64 (may cause harm to breastfed babies).

Committee