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In March this year, Thailand’s Department of Industrial Works (DIW) began implementing compulsory GHS for industrial chemicals.(ChemLinked news release 1 Mar 2013). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (DOA) are also moving forward in their GHS development, the director of Hazardous Substances Control Bureau under DIW, told a ChemLinked reporter in an exclusive interview after the REACH24H Chemical Regulatory Annual Conference concluded in Shanghai on the 22nd of Oct.
The FDA has already submitted proposals to Thailand’s national Hazardous Substance Committee (HSC) regarding GHS implementation for the substances governed by the HSC. The proposal is currently under evaluation and is likely to be approved shortly; meaning chemicals used in the household and in health related products will be regulated in accordance to GHS criteria.
Pesticides in the territory of Thailand may also need to comply with GHS requirements for labeling as the Department of Agriculture is also considering adopting GHS. Currently labeling of pesticides in Thailand should comply with the FAO Guidelines on Good Labeling Practice for Pesticides 1994. The director said once the FAO adopts GHS for pesticide labeling the DOA would take corresponding actions to amend relevant regulations.
It is crucial for the Industry to start early preparation of the GHS in the concerned areas. Since the fundamental GHS regulation in Thailand (i.e. B.E. 2555) is formulated based on UNGHS 3rd revised edition (2009), The director told the reporter that company who is comply with the 3rd revised or newer edition of the UNGHS would have fulfilled the GHS obligation in Thailand to a large extend.
The director also expressed to ChemLinked reporters that, the GHS regulation drafted by the DIW (i.e. Notification of MOI B.E.2555: Hazardous Classification and Communication System of Hazardous Substances) was approved by the national HSC as the fundamental referencing document for GHS implementation in Thailand. With this said, all the six competent authorities governing hazardous chemicals in Thailand, the DIW, DOA, FDA, Department of Energy Business (DOEB), Department of Livestock Development (DLD) and Department of Fisheries (DOF), will need to reference to B.E.2555 when formulating GHS relevant regulations pursuant to the overarching Hazardous Substance Act (HSA) 1992.
The HSA 1992 amendment consultation period conducted by the DIW recently ended on 16 Aug (ChemLinked news release 22 Jul 2013) and these proposals along with public comments made during the consultation period are currently under review by the head of department of the DIW. The HSA 1992 has been amended three times in the past with the latest amendment announced in 2008. According to the director , one of the most important factors addressed in the proposed amendment is to adjust the validation period of registration and license for imported hazardous chemical substances. The current provision of the HSA grants a 6-year validation period for registration of imported hazardous substance. Once registration is completed, license for the substance can be applied and will need to be renewed every 3 years. As it takes up to 17 working days to complete the registration and a further 20 days for the licensing, dissenting voices from the Industry have complained that there is insufficient time to obtain a second license renewal within the 6-year validation period. In response the DIW is proposing more appropriate validation periods.
