Global Chemical Regulation Highlights | April 2025

China

On April 14, 2025, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released the draft for approval, GB 26572—XXXX Requirements for Restricted Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products, marking a crucial step toward formalizing the nation's first mandatory RoHS standard. The darft standard merges GB/T 26572-2011 and SJ/T 11364-2024 into one mandatory standard, aligning with the mandatory nature of China RoHS 2 while also updating technical requirements necessary to adapt to industry development. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in China:

• China Updates Dangerous Goods Classification and List

• China Drafts 2025 National Food Safety Standard Legislative Plan, Involving Food Claims, Food Additives, and FCM

• Taiwan Revises GHS Standards for General Rules and Environmental Hazards

Asia-pacific region

By NICS Notice No.2025-37 on April 8, 2025, South Korea’s National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) invited the public to give feedback on the proposed updates to hazard assessment results of existing and new chemical substances registered under K-REACH. Any comments are welcome before April 28, 2025. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in Asia-pacific region:

• Korea Updates List of Temporary Narcotic Substances

• Korea Releases 72 New Chemicals Registered and Assessed under OSHA

• Korea Adopts Handling Limits for 26 Toxic Chemical Substances

• Draft Procedures for the Safety Review of the Positive List for FCM in Japan

• Australia Consults on 18 Draft Evaluation Statements

• Australia Adds One Chemical in AIIC, Providing Limits for Its Manufacture and Import

• Australia Proposes Risk Management Measures for 6 Industrial Chemicals

• New Zealand Bans Dechlorane Plus, UV-328 and Methoxychlo

• New Zealand Transitional Period for Labelling, SDS and Packaging Notices Ends April 30, 2025

• Singapore Notifies WTO of Licensing Control on Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat and Paraquat Salts

• India Further Delays Quality Control Orders for Acrylate and Vinyl Monomers

• India Further Delays Quality Control Orders for 6 Fatty Acid

• Indonesia Notifies Mandatory Standard for Paper and Paperboard for Food Packaging
  

Europe

On April 3, 2025, the European Commission’s proposals for REACH revision sparked fierce debate at the 54th meeting of Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL-54). As the first comprehensive revision proposal to the REACH Regulation in nearly two decades of implementation, the revision primarily seek to address structural conflicts in the current regulatory framework. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in Europe:

• EU REACH Restricts PAHs in Clay Targets for Shooting

• EU Amends Specific Exemptions for PFOS under POPs Regulation

• UK Proposes Mandatory Classification and Labeling of 30 Hazardous Chemical Substances

• UK RoHS to Update Exemptions for Lead, Mercury and Cadmium in EEE

• UK Launches Investigation into PFAS Use and Disposal

• Why the French PFAS ban isn't the victory it seems