China MEP Published Inventory of Severely Restricted Toxic Chemicals (2018)

On Dec 20th 2017, Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) published on its website the Inventory of Severely Restricted Toxic Chemicals (2018) （严格限制的有毒化学品名录）. Along with the Inventory, instructions were also provided on the requirements of the “Notification for Customs Clearance for Importing/Exporting Toxic Chemicals”.

The newly issued Inventory replaces its predecessor, the List of Toxic Chemicals Severely Restricted for Import and Export in China (2014). “Severely restricted toxic chemicals” are the chemicals usually banned from use due to health hazards and environmental hazards. They can only be imported or exported for specific uses with special authorization. The scope of “severely restricted toxic chemicals” is narrowed down greatly to 10 types of chemicals in the 2018 Inventory, compared with 162 types of chemicals in the 2014 List. The listed chemicals are based on and consistent with the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention, and the Rotterdam Convention. The allowed uses of each type of chemicals are specified in the Inventory.

The Inventory not only decreases the amount of the severely restricted toxic chemicals, but also reduces corresponding regulatory requirements. The importers of the listed chemicals no longer have to apply for the “Environmental Registration Certificate for Importing Toxic Chemicals” and only need to provide the materials required for the “Notification for Customs Clearance for Importing/Exporting Toxic Chemicals” and other specified materials. For example, the importers of Polychlorinated Terphenyls (PCTs) should also obtain the certificate of new chemical notification under the Measures for the Environment of New Chemical Substances (MEP Order 7). The notification for importing or exporting toxic chemicals will be processed within 20 days of the application and will be valid for 6 months after approval.