Shenzhen Releases Mandatory Standard for Limiting Hazchem in Coating, Adhesives and Cleaning Agents

On January 20, 2025, Shenzhen's Administration of Market Regulation released two mandatory local standards (DB) as follows: 

DB4403/ 583—2025

DB4403/ 583—2025 is applicable to the sale and use in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone of coatings and adhesives for decoration and refurbishing, including wall coatings, wood coatings, anti-corrosion coatings, waterproof coatings, floor coatings, fireproof coatings, powder coatings, putty, interface agents, and adhesives.

It does not apply to: 

• fluorine coatings used on metal substrates, 

• coatings, adhesives, and putty used in manufacturing enterprises with dedicated exhaust gas treatment facilities such as furniture factories and steel structure manufacturing plants, 

• waterproof coatings and adhesives specifically for underground engineering, and 

• adhesives specifically for pipeline systems. 

The standard establishes limit values for VOCs and other harmful substances used in coatings and adhesives for decoration and refurbishing. 

In comparison with the existing national standard, for example, GB 18582-2020 Limit of harmful substances of architectural wall coatings, Shenzhen DB has restricted more harmful substances, like asbestos, diisocyanate (TDI, HDI, MDI), ammonia. It has established a universal regulatory limit for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury) at 60 mg/kg, not limited to soluble heavy metal as required under GB 18582-2020. 

For adhesives, the current national standard in force (GB 33372-2020 Limit of volatile organic compounds content in adhesive) is only restricting VOC content in adhesives. Shenzhen is stepping up the regulatory intensity by restricting harmful substances for adhesives used in decorating and refurbishing, including 

• Formaldehyde (not for polyurethane products), ≤0.05g/kg

• Total content of benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene, ≤0.1g/kg

• Free diisocyanate (Limited to polyurethane products), ≤5.0g/kg

• Total content of dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane, ≤1.0g/kg

• Soluble heavy metal (lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury), ≤20mg/kg

• Phthalates (only for sealants, glass glue, and caulking agents), ≤500mg/kg

DB4403/ 584—2025

DB4403/ 583—2025 is applicable to the sale and use in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone of cleaning agents for microelectronics and electronic assembly, including chemicals or preparations used as cleaning agents. It also applies to cleaning agents for cleaning internal components of electronic equipment such as electronic components, circuit boards, printed boards, and instruments and equipment used in the assembly process.

It does not apply to cleaning agents used in semiconductor manufacturing, or cleaning agents used in microelectronics assembly and electronic assembly in the aerospace, nuclear, and military industries.

The national standard regulating cleaning agents is the GB 38508-2020 Limit standard for volatile organic compounds content in cleaning agents. However, this standard does not include cleaning agents for integrated circuit manufacturing under the scope. Other standards related to electronic cleaning agents only specify the performance requirements without any restriction on VOCs and harmful substances. 

This DB is formulated partially to fill the regulatory blank space. It has established limit values for VOCs and other harmful substances as follows: 

The Annex A also provides a list of substances that are banned from being artificially added in cleaning agents for microelectronics and electronic assembly, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The substances in Appendix A should be verified through document review, on-site inspection and other valid supporting documents.