South Korea Proposes Standard Handling Limits for 38 Newly Designated Hazardous Chemicals

South Korea’s NICS has opened public consultation on an amendment that sets new handling limits for 38 soon-to-be-designated hazardous chemicals and updates the requirements for several existing entries under the Chemical Control Act.

On July 29, 2026, South Korea's National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) initiated a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Regulations on Standard Handling Limits of Hazardous Chemicals. The proposed amendment primarily establishes new handling limits for 38 chemicals that are expected to be newly designated as hazardous chemicals and updates the regulatory information for 5 previously listed substances. The consultation will be closed on August 19, 2026.

Under South Korea's Chemical Control Act (CCA) and its Enforcement Rules, standard handling limits dictate the specific compliance obligations for chemical facilities. Entities handling hazardous chemicals exceeding the stipulated upper or lower limits are required to prepare and submit a Chemical Accident Prevention and Management Plan and secure a business operation permit. If the handling volume falls below the lower limit but exceeds the minimum handling limit, a business operation declaration is required. Facilities operating below the minimum handling limit are exempt from the prevention plan, as well as installation and regular inspections.

According to NICS Notice No. 2026-77, the proposed amendment introduces the following key updates:

To set the standard handling limits (upper, lower, and minimum) for 38 chemicals that will be designated as hazardous chemicals (ChemLinked News). For 18 of these chemicals, the minimum handling limit is set at 2.5% of the lower limit based on general hazard group criteria. For the remaining 20 chemicals, separate criteria are applied, factoring in small-quantity thresholds and specific physico-chemical risks.
To set specific low-diffusion handling limits for 7 of these chemicals.
To add "Lead sulfate (CAS No. 7446-14-2)" to the existing entry No. 97-1-9.
To correct typographical errors, e.g., correcting "ferricynide salts" to "ferricyanide salts" under the existing entry No. 97-1-90, and updating "Paraquat salts" to "Paraquat and its salts" under the existing entry No. 97-1-323.
To revise the handling limit for the existing entry No. 2021-1-1077 due to hazard classification changes.
To add "CAS No. 126-06-7" to the existing entry No. 97-1-399.

Industry stakeholders handling the affected substances should review their inventory against the new thresholds to determine future compliance obligations under the CCA.