After two years of deliberation, the updated version of the "List of Hazardous Chemicals" was finally announced on March 9, 2015, and will take effect on May 1, 2015, replacing the current version. The 2015 version of the List of Hazardous Chemicals includes 2,828 entries of chemical substances with physical, health, or environmental hazards. Compared to the 3,834 entries in the 2002 version, the updated version groups substances from multiple categories into the same entries, expanding the scope of the 2015 version of the List of Hazardous Chemicals.
The catalogue of hazardous chemicals is a crucial basis for China's chemical management, encompassing Order No. 591 and the "Regulations on the Registration and Management of Hazardous Chemicals" (Order No. 53 of the State Administration of Work Safety), both of which are based on the catalogue. The former requires hazardous chemicals entering the Chinese market to provide a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and labeling. The latter requires manufacturers and users of hazardous chemicals and key environmentally managed hazardous chemicals to register. Relevant Chinese authorities will further publish compliance guidelines to assist manufacturers in the registration process.
Please refer to the attachment for the contents of the "List of Hazardous Chemicals": China_List of Hazardous Chemicals_2015 Edition
In addition, on December 24, 2014, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) released the “Comprehensive Environmental Protection List (2014 Edition)” and notified 13 departments including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), and the People’s Bank of China (PBC).
The comprehensive directory consists of two parts:
1. The "High Pollution and High Environmental Risk" Product List (referred to as the "Double High" Product List) includes more than 30 products that cause large amounts of volatile organic pollutants (VOCs), nearly 200 products related to heavy metal pollution, and nearly 500 products with high environmental risks, totaling 777 products.
2. List of key environmental protection equipment, including 40 items of environmental monitoring, air pollution and solid waste control equipment.
The Environmental Protection Directory, published in 2007, is revised annually. The Ministry of Environmental Protection hopes to leverage this directory to collaborate with other government departments in establishing a stringent regulatory system for high- and high-emission products, thereby increasing the cost of producing and using hazardous products and accelerating the phasing out of such products from the market. The competent authorities also encourage enterprises to upgrade their technology and raw materials to solidify their core competitiveness. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan are advised to refer to the products listed in the directory as early as possible and establish mechanisms for reducing or replacing their use to mitigate the impact of relevant regulations and the pressure of product phase-out.
Website containing the content of the "Comprehensive Environmental Protection Directory (2014 Edition)":http://www.mep.gov.cn/gkml/hbb/bgth/201412/W020141224542210920998.pdf
Sources:International Chemicals Policy Promotion Network (2015-04-07) Attachment file:China Hazardous Chemicals Catalogue (2015 Edition).pdf
