On February 9, 2022, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published 4,362 new chemical substances record notifications that were received in the second half of 2021, including their applicants and the corresponding representative agent (if have), time for record notification, receipt number, and the number of new chemical substances. Compared with the first half of 2021, the number of record notifications is increased by 1,714.
2021 is the first year when the new Measures for the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order No.12 of 2020) took effect in China. The new Measures thoroughly modified the previous notification types of new chemical substances into regular registration, simplified registration and record notification. New chemical substances manufactured or imported in quantities below 1 ton per year, polymers containing less than 2% of a new chemical monomer/reactant or PLCs are subject to record notification.
Notably, there is no approval for record notification, which means that businesses can start relevant activities immediately after submitting application materials and receiving the receipt sent via the online registration system. The MEE will only conduct spot checks of the materials.
According to MEE Order No. 12, only an applicant can be the holder of registration certificate. An overseas applicant can designate a representative agent to jointly fulfill the obligations regarding the registration of new chemical substances and the post-registration environmental management. Enterprises shall have a clear knowledge of their obligations as applicants or representatives.
