Ethyl Acetate SDS: GHS Hazards, Flash Point, Storage and Disposal

Short answer: An ethyl acetate SDS (CAS 141-78-6) classifies the liquid as highly flammable (H225), a serious eye irritant (H319) and a cause of drowsiness or dizziness (H336), with a warning that repeated exposure may dry or crack skin (EUH066). The NIOSH Pocket Guide gives a flash point of 24 °F and an exposure limit of 400 ppm as a time-weighted average. This page reads the sheet section by section and shows where a government source and a manufacturer sheet differ in wording.

This is general chemical-safety information for laboratory staff and EHS officers. It does not replace the current SDS from the supplier of the product you actually hold.

Definition and scope: what an ethyl acetate SDS covers

A safety data sheet is the supplier document that accompanies a hazardous chemical and organises its hazard information into numbered sections. For ethyl acetate, the NIOSH Pocket Guide lists the formula CH₃COOC₂H₅, molecular weight 88.1, boiling point 171 °F and the description “colorless liquid with an ether-like, fruity odor” (read 2026-11-07). Synonyms listed there include acetic ester, acetic ether and ethyl ethanoate. For density and other physical-property values see Ethyl Acetate Density; the equivalent hazard reading for another common solvent is Methanol SDS: GHS Hazards, Exposure and Storage.

Ethyl acetate hazards: the GHS statements

One manufacturer SDS read for this page (Sydney Solvents, UN 1173, read 2026-11-07) lists these hazard statements:

• H225: Highly flammable liquid and vapour.
• H319: Causes serious eye irritation.
• H336: May cause drowsiness or dizziness.
• EUH066: Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking.

Its precautionary statement P210 reads: keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks and open flames. Classification wording and the list of P-statements are the supplier’s own, so two suppliers’ sheets for the same chemical can differ in detail; always work from the sheet that shipped with your container.

NIOSH describes the health side in plain terms: exposure routes are inhalation, ingestion and skin or eye contact; symptoms are irritation of the eyes, skin, nose and throat, narcosis and dermatitis; target organs are the eyes, skin and respiratory system.

Ethyl acetate flash point and flammability

NIOSH lists a flash point of 24 °F, a lower explosive limit of 2.0% and an upper explosive limit of 11.5% by volume in air. The Sydney Solvents sheet gives the flash point in Celsius (−4 °C, about 24.8 °F; Section 9), which agrees with NIOSH once converted. A flash point this far below room temperature means vapour can ignite at ordinary bench temperatures, which is why H225 and P210 sit at the top of the sheet.

Exposure limits

The OSHA annotated Table Z-1 (read 2026-11-07) lists ethyl acetate at 400 ppm (1400 mg/m³) for the OSHA PEL, with the Cal/OSHA and NIOSH REL columns also showing 400 ppm and no footnote on the row. NIOSH gives an IDLH of 2000 ppm (10% of the LEL). The averaging bases differ: OSHA’s PEL column is an 8-hour time-weighted average, while NIOSH RELs are averaged over up to a 10-hour shift. ACGIH threshold limit values are copyrighted, so they are not reproduced here.

Incompatibilities and storage

NIOSH lists nitrates, strong oxidizers, alkalis and acids as incompatible. The manufacturer sheet read for this page lists a longer set that includes natural rubbers, polystyrene, vinyl plastics, EPDM, metal hydrides, inorganic peroxides, halogens and oxyacid salts. The practical lesson is that container, seal and tubing material matter as much as neighbouring bottles; the chemical resistance chart for plastics covers material compatibility. Keep ignition sources away, as P210 states.

Disposal

The Sydney Solvents sheet says the product is not suitable for landfill or municipal sewers or drains and must be disposed of as chemical waste in accordance with the local authority. Its licensed-contractor wording applies to empty packaging, not to the product. In the United States, whether a waste solvent carries a regulatory waste code is a separate determination; see RCRA Hazardous Waste Codes for how that determination is made. NIOSH adds that wet clothing should be removed because it is flammable.

How the two kinds of source compare

Item	NIOSH Pocket Guide	Manufacturer SDS (Sydney Solvents)
Fire hazard wording	Flash point 24 °F; LEL 2.0%, UEL 11.5%	H225, P210
Health effects	Eye, skin, nose and throat irritation; narcosis; dermatitis	H319, H336, EUH066
Exposure limit	REL and PEL both 400 ppm TWA	Given in the supplier’s own section 8
Incompatibilities	Nitrates; strong oxidizers, alkalis, acids	Longer list including rubbers and plastics
Disposal	Not addressed	Chemical waste under local authority rules; no landfill or sewer disposal (licensed contractor for empty packaging)

Common misunderstandings

• “The 400 ppm limit is a NIOSH and OSHA agreement.” The numbers match, but the NIOSH value is a recommendation and the OSHA value a legal limit, on different shift bases.
• “All SDSs say the same thing.” Hazard codes follow GHS, but incompatibility lists, storage text and disposal wording are written by each supplier.
• “A fruity smell is harmless.” The same sources list narcosis and irritation among the effects, and odour is not a safe measure of exposure.

FAQ

What is the ethyl acetate flash point?

NIOSH lists 24 °F; a manufacturer sheet gives −4 °C, the same value in Celsius.

What are the GHS hazard statements for ethyl acetate?

H225, H319, H336 and EUH066 on the manufacturer sheet read for this page.

What is the ethyl acetate boiling point, formula and molecular weight?

171 °F, CH₃COOC₂H₅ and 88.1, per NIOSH.

How is ethyl acetate disposed of?

The Sydney Solvents sheet directs the product to chemical waste in accordance with the local authority and says it is not suitable for landfill or municipal sewers or drains. Its licensed-contractor wording applies to empty packaging.

Where do I find the SDS PDF?

From the supplier of the product you hold, normally on its product page or with the shipment.

Sources

• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Ethyl acetate: cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0260.html (read 2026-11-07).
• OSHA Annotated Table Z-1: osha.gov/annotated-pels/table-z-1 (read 2026-11-07).
• Sydney Solvents, Ethyl Acetate SDS (UN 1173): supplier PDF (read 2026-11-07).