China Published List of Priority Control Chemicals
At the end of December, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of the People’s Republic of China published a list of chemicals that have special legal controls. The MEP also issued a
notification (only in Chinese) on the subject. The list contains 22 chemicals that are especially
hazardous to human health and the environment. They also accumulate significantly in organisms.
The chemicals involved include:
- 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene
- 1,3-butadiene
- 5-tert-butyl-2,4,6-trinitro-m-xylene (xylene musk)
- n,n’-bis(methylphenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine
- Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs)
- Dichloromethane
- Cadmium and cadmium compounds
- Mercury and mercury compounds
- Formaldehyde
- Hexavalent chromium compound
- Hexachloro-1,3-cyclopentadiene
- Hexabromocyclododecane
- Naphthalene
- Lead compounds
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts and PFOSF
- Nonylphenol and nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether
- Trichloromethane
- Trichlorethylene
- Arsenic and arsenic compounds;
- Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE)
- Perchlorethylene
- Acetaldehyde
The use of these chemicals is regulated by various Chinese laws, including:
- The Law on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution. For a good overview of the topic, see Air Pollution Control Policies in China: A Retrospective and Prospects (published in December 2016) and the article in National Geographic.
- The Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law, which went into effect at the start of this year.
- The Cleaner Production Promotion Law, which went into effect in 2002 and was enhanced in 2012.
- Measures for Cleaner Production Audit (only in Chinese)
We would also like to inform you about and invite you to our Chemical Compliance Day on April 12. A representative of a Chinese agency will provide information on legal requirements in China. You can submit questions ahead of time at academy@kft.de, if you’d like.
If you have questions about classification obligations in China, creation of safety data sheets, or registration of new chemicals, please contact us at sds@kft.de.