On March 1, 2023, the National Public Service Platform for Standards Information in China released two draft national standards – GB 6944 Classification and Code of Dangerous Goods and GB 12268 List of Dangerous Goods. The two drafts are open for public consultation until May 8, 2023.

On January 12, 2023, Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) supplemented a total of 15 chemical substances to the concerned chemical list in the following three categories: Five substances with concerns about food safety risks; Two new psychoactive substances (NPS); and Eight explosive precursors.

The most important step in hazardous chemical compliance in China is to determine whether chemicals are hazardous or whether they are listed in the Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals (hereinafter referred to as the Catalog). Enterprises must obtain an operation permit or license of hazardous chemicals (in short as HC Operation Permit) if their chemicals are listed in the Catalog. Related enterprises may leave a message on the website of the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) if there are any questions about hazardous chemicals management to get public replies from the Ministry (as shown below).

On December 29, 2022, the General Rules for the Hazardous Chemicals Warehouse Storage (GB 15603-2022) was officially released and will enter into force in China on July 1, 2023. It will repeal and replace GB 16603-1995. GB 15603-2022 is a mandatory national standard. It is of great significance to the safety and management of hazardous chemicals as it provides a universal and basic standard for the storage of hazardous chemicals.

On December 29, 2022, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), in conjunction with other Ministries, jointly released the List of New Pollutants for Priority Control (2023 Edition). Previously in September 2022, the MEE published the List of New Pollutants for Priority Control (2022 edition) for public comments. The 2023 edition basically remains consistent with the draft released in September. It contains 14 new pollutants, including: 10 persistent organic pollutants (POPs), two toxic and harmful pollutants, one environmental endocrine disruptor, and one antibiotic. The 2023 edition will come into force on March 1, 2023.

On November 23, 2022, the European Commission released Regulation (EU) 2022/2291 in the Official Journal of the European Union amending Part A of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, in which Unintentional Trace Contaminant (UTC) limit is set for hexachlorobenzene. The Regulation 2022/2291 shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication and be applicable in all Member States.

On November 7, 2022, the Ministry of Emergency Management, in conjunction with other 9 ministries, released the amendments to the Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals 2015. According to the amendments, all diesel fuels, irrespective of their flashpoints, shall be considered as hazardous chemicals and subject to the management of administrative license for hazardous chemicals in China. Previously, only diesel with closed-cup flashpoint <= 60℃ was considered as hazardous chemicals.

From June 13 to July 4, 2022, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) published a public consultation on the proposal to control 26 chemicals as hazardous chemicals because some of the 26 chemicals are highly toxic, polluting, and/or generate intractable waste that is difficult to manage and safely dispose of. During the consultation period, 52 feedbacks were received and suggestions on regulatory details were also collected. We have prepared a summary of the HS license/permit application and requirements.

On September 27, 2022, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) released the List of New Pollutants under Priority Control 2022 (Draft) for public consultation and comments can be made before October 28, 2022. Most of the substances in the List have already been regulated and restricted in many countries. Details can be checked via CIRS’s APCISS system.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment published the Draft National Technical Regulation on Thresholds for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Articles, Products, Commodities and Equipment (G/TBT/N/VNM/238-TBT notification) on September 15, 2022. The final date for comments shall be 60 days from its notification.