On August 5, 2024, China's Ministry of Public Security and five other departments jointly issued a notice regarding the addition of seven substances to the Regulation on the Administration of Precursor Chemicals (henceforth managed as precursor chemicals). The specific substances include N-phenylpiperidin-4-amine, 1-N-Boc-4-(Phenylamino)piperidine, Norfentanyl, Cannabidiol, BMK glycidic acid and its esters, 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoic acid and its esters, and PMK glycidic acid esters. The specific administration measures will take effect from September 1, 2024.

Recently, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced revisions to the import clearance procedures related to the Chemical Substances Control Law. The new regulations aim to streamline processes and enhance the management efficiency of imported chemical substances, and took effect from July 1, 2024. These revisions will replace the previous version issued on December 4, 2023, which became obsolete on June 30, 2024.

On July 10, 2024, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) introduced a draft rule to ban aerosol dusters containing over 18 milligrams of either 1,1-Difluoroethane (HFC-152a) or 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a). Pending CPSC Commission approval, this rule, scheduled for review on July 31, will take effect 30 days after final regulations are published, following public consultation.

Recently, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti), in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment (MoE), announced a significant policy under the Act on Preventing Mercury Pollution of the Environment. The policy will phase out the production of ten specified products containing mercury, with set dates for the implementation of the bans. This measure will be gradually implemented starting in 2026, and it involves various types of batteries and lighting equipment, as well as certain industrial sensors.

The 20th Meetings of the Stockholm Convention's POP Review Committee and the Rotterdam Convention's Chemical Review Committee are scheduled for September 23-27, 2024.

China issued a notice announcing the nationwide pilot of the "batch inspection" reform for the packaging of exported hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods.

No.1 amendment to "Requirements of Concentration Limits for Certain Restricted Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" will officially come into effect on January 1, 2026.

New Environmental Monitoring Requirements have been established, and the scope and obligations of the review have been clarified.

In accordance with REACH regulations, before conducting tests under Annex IX and X (for registration volumes of 100-1,000 tons per year and over 1,000 tons per year), registrants must submit a testing proposal (TP). After a consultation period, ECHA will finalize the testing requirements based on feedback and the characteristics of the substance.

In February 2024, the Shanghai Emergency Management Bureau and the Shanghai Transportation Commission officially released the "Notice on Advancing the Management on the Inventory of Hazardous Chemicals and the Loading and Unloading of Dangerous Goods through the Implementation of 'One Enterprise, One Product with One QR Code'" to require that Shanghai's hazardous chemicals enterprises complete the construction or transformation of the warehouse management system (Dynamic) for hazardous chemicals by December 31, 2024. With the implementation of Beijing's "Technical specifications for full-process traceability management of hazardous chemicals" (DB11/T 2196-2023) on April 1, 2024, many enterprises in multiple districts of Beijing have been required to start applying for and affixing traceability codes for hazardous chemicals.