The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) published an announcement on February 9, 2011 regarding the violation ruling of a notification made under the ‘Measures for the Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances’.
According to the MEP announcement, the joint notification of three new substances by 6 companies included submitted eco-toxicological test reports which did not originate from an approved MEP laboratory.
Under new chemical substance notification, certain eco-toxicological testing is required to be performed in Chinese laboratories approved by the MEP. The eco-toxicological test reports required to be included in a notification dossier depend on the notification type and registration tonnage band. The required testing can include aquatic organism toxicity, bio-degradation, and terrestrial organism toxicity test reports.
In a statement to the MEP, The Environmental Testing Laboratory of the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences claim that the two test reports submitted did not originate from their institute. The announcement orders the notifiers to correct the alleged violation and imposes a fine on each of the companies involved, with sixty days to apply for a re-evaluation.
This is the first website announcement by the MEP of a violation under the Measures for New Chemical Substance Notification. Under the updated ‘China REACH’ New Chemical Substance Measures, notification information can be announced by the MEP under articles 23, 43, 45-48. This not only includes announcements regarding violations but also announcements which publish information on approved new substance registrations.
