Search for chemicals
Have a look at our unique database to find out more about chemicals used daily in Europe.
Through its work in implementing the European Union’s chemicals legislation, ECHA has built up the largest database on chemicals in the world. It contains information in English on more than 140 000 chemicals, and it is growing all the time.
The database includes more than two million study summaries on the properties of chemicals and their impact on humans and the environment. It also explains how the chemicals are classified (as being corrosive or flammable, for example) and provides guidelines on how to use them safely.
A relatively small proportion of these chemicals (181 as of winter 2018) are listed as being of very high concern because they can cause cancer or mutations, disrupt fertility or build up and persist in the environment. Altogether, their entries add up to a vast amount of information, which ECHA is committed to use for the benefit of European citizens and the environment.
Find the answers you need
How does a substance actually affect the human body? Does it irritate your skin or eyes, or does it have a much worse effect, like causing cancer? And what kind of products is it used in? Is it harmful to the environment and how is it released? All these questions are now answered in brief descriptions of each chemical that we call infocards. If you want to find out about the substances you may be exposed to, this is a good place to start.
As easy as looking up a word in the dictionary, just type the substance name in the search box in the Information on Chemicals section and there it is. The information is based on the data that companies have submitted to ECHA to comply with EU law. If the substance is classified as particularly hazardous, the infocard also shows how it is being scrutinised by regulators at European and national level in order to make sure that people and the environment are protected.
The Periodic Table of Elements
The Periodic Table of Elements is one of the most important and influential achievements in modern science. It was developed 150 years ago by the Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev. To commemorate the 150th anniversary, 2019 has been declared the International Year of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Take a look at our interactive table of elements and find 93 of the elements in our database of chemicals. Learn about the elements' properties, how they are used and the precautions needed to use them safely.