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On November 2nd 2020, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued a notice [1] to release the Inventory of Priority Controlled Chemicals (Second Batch), which consists of 18 kinds/classes of chemicals that are dangerous to human health and the environment. Local administrations are required to take environmental risk control measures to minimize the impact of such chemicals at critical links of manufacturing and use.
One chemical has been removed from the inventory if comparing the final version with the draft released in May (ChemLinked News [2]). In addition, there is a unique code “PCXXX” for each kind/class of priority controlled chemicals in the final version. The inventory also provides CAS numbers of chemicals for unique identification and global recognition.
Based on the official interpretation and FAQs on the inventory, all chemicals that are mass-produced in China and/or widely detected in the environmental media, those chemicals with a high potential environmental exposure, who exist simultaneously, are inherent hazards. They are human carcinogens such as benzene and o-toluidine, persistent organic pollutants such as PFOA and dioxins, etc. in the second batch of the inventory.
Different management measures will be adopted for different chemicals according to different conditions, which include:
Chemical Characteristics
Economic and technical feasibility
Environmental and health risks of the chemical
Others
These possible measures are introduced in the FAQs, including:
environmental risk management measures such as incorporate the chemicals into pollutants inventories,
Review the clean producing conditions of the chemical and disclose the relevant information
Restrict the use or encourage alternatives of the chemical in accordance with relevant standards and alternate inventory
Others.
For the manufacturers and users of the priority controlled chemicals, they still have time to take measures such as technological upgrading and transformation, strengthening the collection and treatment of waste, and apply environmentally friendly alternatives to prepare for the upcoming critical supervision and inspection. The national competent authorities declared that they will update the inventory to involve more hazardous chemicals when necessary. Once a draft is released, ChemLinked recommends the stakeholders of the listed chemicals to prepare as early as possible.
