The Inventory of National Hazardous Waste, published as the MEP Order No 1 of 2008, has taken effect since August 1, 2008. It was formulated to support the implementation of the Presidential Order No. 31 of 2004，China’s highest law on the environmental management of waste pollution.

The Announcement stipulates that any solid or liquid waste materials meeting either of the following conditions are covered under the list and ought to be regulated as a hazardous waste:

1) if they have any properties such as corrosion, toxicity, flammability, reactivity or infectivity; or

2) if they are able to cause an adverse effect to the environment or human health and for which certain hazardous property cannot be ruled out.

The inventory’s appendix doesn’t cover medical waste chemicals though, while medical waste is incorporated as part of hazardous waste in China. This is because the country has otherwise drawn up a catalogue on the classification of medical waste according to the State Council Decree 380 of 2003 on the regulation of medical waste management.

For solid and liquid wastes suspected of a hazard property yet listed in neither the Inventory nor the medical waste catalogue, the announcement requires that the MEP should organize a technical identification in light of the national compulsory standard on hazardous waste identification, GB 5085.7-2007. The MEP also has the obligation to make adjustment to and promulgate the Inventory accordingly.

The identification of the hazard classification for a hazardous waste chemical or non-hazard waste mixture should also apply the general specifications in GB 5085.7.