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China Issues Guide for Evaluation of VOCs Abatement in Industrial Enterprises (August 5, 2022)
On August 5, 2022, the All-China Environment Federation Committee of VOCs Emission Control released the group standard "Guideline for Comprehensive Evaluation of Volatile Organic Compounds Abatement Effect in Industrial Enterprise", which came into force immediately. In addition to the self-evaluation of industrial enterprises, the Guideline also applies to the official evaluation conducted by the departments of ecology and environment at all levels in China. (CL news)
Shanghai Strengthens Digitalization in Road Transportation & Storage of Dangerous Goods (August 8, 2022)
On August 8, 2022, Shanghai Municipal Transport Commission, jointly with the Shanghai Emergency Management Bureau and Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau, unveiled the Notification on Further Strengthening Management for Road Transport and Storage of Dangerous Goods (Hazardous Chemicals) in Shanghai, which has come into force from August 15, 2022. (CL news)
China to Construct System for Carbon Emission Calculation (August 19, 2022)
On August 19, 2022, China released a plan to accelerate the construction of a unified and standardized system to calculate carbon emissions, aiming to peak its emissions by 2030 and secure carbon neutrality by 2060. (CL news)
China MEE Publishes New Chemical Record Notification Statistics in 2022 H1 (August 26, 2022)
On August 26, 2022, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued a notice to make public 2,404 new chemical substance record notifications that were received in the first half of 2022, covering more than 7,900 new chemical substances. (CL news)
China Shandong Pushes Forward Hazchem QR Codes Application (August 31, 2022)
On August 31, 2022, the Department of Emergency Management of Shandong, China issued the official document to outline the measures and targets for the Hazchem QR code application in Shandong province. It is noted in the document that hazardous chemicals manufactured or imported in Shandong must be affixed with the Hazchem QR code. (CL news)
China MEE to Add 6 Substances into IECSC (August 31, 2022)
On August 31, 2022, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published a public invitation for comments on the addition of 6 substances to the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China (IECSC). Comments are welcome before September 14, 2022. (CL news)
FAQ | Official Interpretation of Hazchem QR Code Application in China
On August 31, 2022, REACH24H consulting group held a webinar themed on the Hazchem QR code application in China. Mr. Chen Jun, an official from the Chemical Registration Management Office of the Ministry of Emergency Management, shared valuable information on recent trends in the QR code program to enhance the digital and intelligent management of hazardous chemicals. ChemLinked selected 8 FAQs to address some problems in the Hazchem QR code application in China, especially for the QR Code Management Enforcement Rules to be issued by the MEM. (CL news)
China to Speed up Designation of Precursor Chemicals
China is on track to revise the Regulation on the Administration of Precursor Chemicals (2005), an administrative regulation known as Decree No. 445, demonstrating national efforts in the management of precursor chemicals. The drafting work was launched at the end of 2021, following a preliminary investigation that started at the end of 2019. So far, a draft has been drawn up for an internal consultation among the six administrative authorities. (CL news)
Shenzhen Sets Limits for VOCs and Hazchem in Cleaning Agents Used for Microelectronics and Electronic Assembly
On July 29, 2022, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Shenzhen issued a notice to solicit public comments on the DB4430 X-XXXX Limit of volatile organic compounds and certain harmful substances of cleaning agents in microelectronic and electronic assembly (Draft). The Standard stipulates application scope, limit requirements, product classification, test methods, test principles, packaging marks, prohibited substances list, etc. Comments are welcome before September 30, 2022. (CL news)
China Revises National Standard for Packaging Recycling Marking
On July 11, 2022, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and Standardized Administration of China (SAC) jointly published a revised version of the National Standard “Packaging Recycling Marking” (GB/T 18455-2022), which will take effect on February 1, 2023. (CL news)
A Comparison of FCM Supervision Between China and the European Union
ChemLinked summarized the supervision and regulation of Food contact materials (FCM) between the EU and China to help enterprises from different regions to better understand each other’s regulations. (CL news)
Taiwan, China
Taiwan to Update Emission Limits for Hazardous Air Pollutants
On July 29, 2022, Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) opened a 60-day public consultation on amendments to the Hazardous Air Pollutant Species and Emission Limit Standards for the First Batch of Stationary Pollution Sources. (CL news)
Japan
Japan Consults on Amended Export Requirements for PFOA and decaBDE (August 19, 2022)
On August 19, 2022, the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry (Meti) released the Proposed Amendments for the Export Approval of Certain Chemical Substances for consultation. The document stipulated new requirements for exports of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds, and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE). (Read more)
Japan Announces 185 New Chemicals Substances as General Chemical Substances under CSCL
On July 29, 2022, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released Joint Notice No.4, announcing the names, serial numbers, and MITI numbers of 185 new chemical substances that have been notified for five years and evaluated to be neither persistent nor highly bioaccumulative under the Chemical Substance Control Law (CSCL). (CL news)
Japan PRTR: CAS Numbers Updated for Class I and II substances
On July 26, 2022, the Japanese National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) updated the List of CAS numbers for the Class I and Class II substances controlled under the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law. (CL news)
South Korea
South Korea Bans 623 Household Products from Market in H1 2022 (August 11, 2022)
On August 11, 2022, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) announced that during the first half of 2022 there were 623 household products banned from manufacture, importation and distribution due to violations of safety and labelling standards under the Act on Safety Management of Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides (also called K-BPR). (CL news)
South Korea Urges Enterprises to Apply for AS Approval under K-BPR before 2023 (August 16, 2022)
On August 16, 2022, South Korea's online chemical management system (CHEMP) published a notice to remind stakeholders that the approval grace period of existing active substances (AS) used for 5 types of biocidal products (BP) in Group A is coming to an end on December 31, 2022. If relevant manufacturers/importers fail to obtain the AS Approval before the deadline, the manufacture and import of such AS and the BP containing them will be prohibited in South Korea. (CL news)
Updated New Chemical Substances Hazard Assessment Results under K-REACH (August 23, 2022)
On August 23, 2022, South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) issued NIER Notification No.2022-47 to adopt the hazard assessment results of new chemical substances registered under K-REACH, which came into effect immediately. (CL news)
South Korea Finalizes Regulation on Designation of Substances subject to Authorization (August 25, 2022)
On August 25, 2022, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) officially published the Regulation on Designation, etc. of Substances subject to Authorization to specify how to select candidate substances and designate the authorized substances under K-REACH. The Regulation will come into effect on October 15, 2022. (CL news)
South Korea Revises Handling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals (August 30, 2022)
According to Article 13 of the Chemical Substances Control Act, any person who handles hazardous chemicals shall follow the handling standards for hazardous chemicals (i.e., maintaining a qualified facility, wearing protective equipment) stipulated in the Regulations on Specific Handling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals. The Regulations were updated on August 30 and will be updated constantly in the future. (Read more)
South Korea Simplifies Data Requirements for Exemption Confirmation for Non-hazardous R&D Substances
South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) recently issued the updated Annex 5 (Methods for data preparation for exemption confirmation) of K-REACH Enforcement Rules according to the new amendments that came into force on March 16, 2022. The Moe stipulates conditions and materials required for importers in South Korea under which they can apply for the exemption confirmation. (CL news)
South Korea Expands QR Codes Pilot to 39 Household Chemical Products subject to Safety Confirmation
South Korea is set to expand the use of QR codes to all household chemical products(39 sub-categories of products) that are subject to safety confirmation under K-BPR from June 2022. Previously, the QR codes pilot program for disinfectants has proved successful. (CL news)
South Korea to Update Hazard Assessment Results of New Chemical Substances Registered under K-REACH
On July 22, 2022, South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) issued the NIER Announcement No.2022-317, seeking public comments on the updates of the hazard assessment results of new chemical substances registered under K-REACH. These registered substances were issued with English chemical names, CAS numbers, corresponding hazard properties, classification and labeling information, as well as the determination of whether it is classified as a toxic chemical substance. The public consultation has ended on August 11, 2022. (CL news)
Australia
Inventory Update: Variation of the AIIC Terms Related to HFO-1234yf (August 1, 2022)
On August 1, 2022, the Australian Government announced that it would vary the terms of the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC) for HFO-1234yf (CAS Number 754-12-1) to manage the risks to human health and the environment from the introduction or use of the industrial chemical. The AIIC terms will change from August 29, 2022. (Read more)
Inventory Update: Amendment of 2 Chemical Names in the AIIC (August 1, 2022)
Pursuant to Section 85 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019, On August 1, 2022, the Australia Government updated the names of 2 chemical substances in the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC) to the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) names and CAS numbers. (Read more)
Australian Seeks Information on 4 POPs to Develop Relevant Risk Management Approaches under IChEMS (August 19, 2022)
Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) issued a public invitation1 on August 19, 2022, calling for up-to-date information on the introduction, use or disposal of pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), hexabromobiphenyl (HBB), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN) listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). (CL news)
Australia Extends Deadline for Evaluation of Dechlorane Plus under AICIS
Australia's Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme(AICIS) has decided to extend its timeframe for the evaluation of dechlorane plus to June 30, 2023. The authorities cited that the reason is to enable consideration of the outcome from a critical long-term aquatic toxicity study. (CL news)
Reminder: Australia is Starting Annual Declaration under AICIS
On July 28, the Australian Government issued a notice – ‘It’s time to start submitting your annual declarations’ to remind introducers (manufacturers or importers), who have introduced industrial chemicals or products containing industrial chemicals (e.g., cosmetics, paints and plastics) to Australia during the 2021-2022 registration year, to submit the corresponding annual declaration within the submission period. The submission period starts on August 1, 2022 and ends on November 30, 2022. (CL news)
India
India Further Delays Implementation of Quality Control Orders for Six Substances (August 11, 2022)
On August 11, 2022, India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) issued a circular in the Government Gazette to delay the implementation of quality control orders (QCOs) for gamma picoline, beta picoline, potassium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, acetone, pyridine, of which were planned to come in force in September 2022. The new implementation date of these six QCOs is March 13, 2023. (CL news)
India Updates Quality Control Order for Hydrogen Peroxide (August 24, 2022)
On August 24, 2022, India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals published the Hydrogen Peroxide (Quality Control) Order, 2022, which will come into force in late November 2022. (CL news)
India Consults on Draft Revised Standard for Liquid Sulphur Dioxide
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) consulted o the draft revision to the Indian Standard (IS): Liquid Sulphur Dioxide - Specification. Public comments are welcome before September 28, 2022. (CL news)
India DCPC and ILO Sign Agreement to Adopt International Chemical Safety Cards
On July 27, 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at a seminar on the "Safe Use of Chemicals at Workplace" between the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (DCPC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) for adopting the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs). (CL news)
India Amended Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules
On July 21, 2022, India amended Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules. The effect of this change is notably to create provisions on the utilisation and management of waste tyres applicable for certain businesses involving tyres and waste tyres. (Read more)
