Global Chemical Regulation Highlights | December 2022

China

On December 5, 2022, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued two announcements to make public 42 substances that were included into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China (IECSC). These substances are now regulated as existing chemical substances and thus free from new chemical registration or notification requirements under the MEE Order No.12. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in China:

• China Issues First List of New Pollutants for Priority Management
  

• China Issues Notice on Safety Management Requirements for Diesel Oil 
  

• China Issues Standard for Electroplating-silver Effect Coatings

• China Updates Guidance for Implementation of Hazchem Inventory

• China Proposes to Ban HCFCs in Polyurethane Foam and Disposable Medical Devices

• China Updates FAQs for Chemical Registration

South Korea

On December 7, 2022, South Korea's National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) issued two notices (NIER Notice No. 2022-80 and NIER Notice No. 2022-81) to make public the amendments to the Toxic Chemical Substances List (TCSL) and the GHS Classification List. The amendments took effect immediately. 

(Read more)

 More regulation highlights in South Korea:

• South Korea Updates Quantity Limits for Toxic Substances that Require Submitting Chemical Accident Prevention Management Plan
  

• South Korea Delays New Restrictions for Strontium Chromate in Coatings
  

• MOTIE Announces Measures to Improve Foreign Investment Environment

• South Korea to Update Designation of Existing Biocidal Substances Subject to Deferred Approval

• South Korea Updates Hazard Assessment Results of Registered Chemicals under K-REACH

Japan

During an internal meeting held on December 15, 2022, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) proposed a schedule to select the substances that are subject to risk assessment in the workplace and set exposure limits. The ministry will begin enforcing this new rule from April 1, 2024. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in Japan:

• MHLW Adds 181 Existing Chemical Substances under ISHL

Australia

On December 13 and December 15 of 2022, the Australian Government issued two notices to declare some updates of the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC). According to Notice I, 7 chemicals have been added to AIIC in accordance with Section 82 of the Industrial Chemical Act 2019. According to Notice II, the Australian Government revoked the CBI approval for the proper name of 2 industrial chemical in the AIIC. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in Australia:

• Australia Publishes First IChEMS Scheduling Decisions, 3 POPs are Prohibited
  

• Australia Varies Terms of Inventory Following Revocation of CBI Approval

• New Edition of Australian Dangerous Goods Code Can be Used from April 2023 

• AICIS Publishes Evaluations Chemicals that Pose Environmental Risks under AIIC 

Thailand, India

On December 21, 2022, by Notification of MOI B.E. 2565 (2022), Thailand's Department of Industry and Works (DIW) released the updated List of Hazardous Substances, which took effect on December 22, 2022. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in India:

• India DPIIT Plans to Put 16 Product Categories under QCOs by 2023-24

European Union and United Kingdom

On December 17, 2022, MEPs and EU governments reached the deal to reform the Emissions Trading System. As determined by the agreements, the transition period for CBAM will end by the end of 2025. Therefore, the levy period will start on January 1, 2026. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in EU and UK:

• New EU Rules on Batteries on the Horizon

• European Commission Revises CLP Regulation to Add New Hazard Classes for Endocrine Disruptors

• ECHA to Investigate Presence of Hazardous Chemicals in Childcare Articles

• EU Member States Plan to Evaluate 24 Substances in 2023-2025

• UK Calls for Evidence Seeking Information on Use of Dicyclohexyl Phthalate and Disodium Octaborate

North America

On December 5, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule that would improve reporting on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) by, among other proposed changes, eliminating an exemption that allows facilities to avoid reporting information on PFAS when those chemicals are used in small, or de minimis, concentrations. (Read more)

More regulation highlights in North America:

• EPA Finds Carbon Tetrachloride Poses Risks to Human Health

• EPA Determines Perchloroethylene Poses Risks to Human Health

• EPA Updates New Chemical Review Program to Increase Transparency

• EPA Finds NMP and 1-BP Present Unreasonable Risks to Human Health