16 Sept 2011, “China will limit the construction and expansion of chemical plants and launch a nationwide safety campaign to target all enterprises involved in the production and use of hazardous chemicals”, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection (MEP) Mr Zhang Lijun announced on 15 Sept 2011 at a meeting held in Beijing.
“The MEP will no longer accept applications for any new projects related to the production and storage of hazardous chemicals outside industrial parks from 15 Sept”, said Mr Zhang. Under Chinese laws, without an environmental impact assessment and official approval from MEP, a factory cannot be built.
Mr Zhang did not say when the ministry will accept applications again but admitted that the country faced worsening chemical pollution. "Environmental accidents involving toxic chemicals are on the rise, posing a grave threat to public safety and social stability. Since January last year, the ministry has dealt with 239 environmental emergencies caused by chemical spills, some of which threatened water safety”, he said.
“The country would raise the environmental standards of chemical plants and tighten penalties and fines on chemical factory owners who break the law”, said Mr Zhang. The ministry would give stricter punishments to those who build the plants without environmental approval and the factories which are put into operation without an examination of their pollution control measures.
In wake of several serious chemical pollution incidents, the ministry will start a nationwide inspection campaign of the producers of hazardous chemicals who have obtained operating license for production. The inspection campaign is to be concluded by the end of this year.
More info can be found here.
16 Sept 2011, China MEP to restrict the construction of chemical plants and launch a nationwide inspection - CIRS News
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
EU REACH Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and eSDS Format
Safety data sheets (SDS) have been a well-accepted and effective method for the provision to downstream users of information on chemical substances and mixtures in the EU. Most buyers(either importers or distributors or downstream users) in EU will request a copy of SDS when they buy chemicals. Other countries such as USA have used Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), which is very similar to SDS in terms of format and contents.
The Annex II of EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) has mandated what information should and could be included in each section of the SDS. This annex II is ammended by the COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 453/2010 in May 2010. All SDS shall meet the latest requirements of REACH regulation.
For substances that are sold in quantities of more than 10 tonnes per year and are classified as dangerous, Exposure Scenarios describing how a substance can be safely handled to control exposures to both human health and the environment shall be appendixed to SDS, forming extended safety data sheets(eSDS). This new SDS/eSDS is known as"REACH SDS".
Do I need to supply REACH SDS and when?
You need to supply REACH SDS to your customers before or at time of the first delivery of chemical in paper or electronic format if your product is:
- substance or a mixture that is classified as hazardous, or PBT/vPvB or SVHC;
- a mixture that is not classified as dangerous, but contains a substance posing human health or environmental hazards with a concentration of >1%w/w for non-gaseous mixtures or 0.2%v/v for gas;
- a mixture that is not classified as dangerous, but contains a substance that is PBT, or vPvB, or SVHC in an individual concentration of ≥ 0.1 % by weight for mixtures that are solid or liquids (i.e., non-gaseous mixtures);
*persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT), or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB), substance of very high conern(SVHC).
Note 1: REACH SDS is not required for substances/mixtures which are not classified as hazardous;
Note 2: REACH SDS is not required for end-user products such as cosmetics, detergents;
Note 3: Where a customer re-orders substances or mixtures, then the supplier does not need to re-supply the SDS, unless the sheet’s contents have been updated.
Note 4: EU SDS is consistent with GHS Safety Data Sheets. If you are new to GHS, please read the following basic GHS topics.
The Annex II of EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) has mandated what information should and could be included in each section of the SDS. This annex II is ammended by the COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 453/2010 in May 2010. All SDS shall meet the latest requirements of REACH regulation.
For substances that are sold in quantities of more than 10 tonnes per year and are classified as dangerous, Exposure Scenarios describing how a substance can be safely handled to control exposures to both human health and the environment shall be appendixed to SDS, forming extended safety data sheets(eSDS). This new SDS/eSDS is known as"REACH SDS".
Do I need to supply REACH SDS and when?
You need to supply REACH SDS to your customers before or at time of the first delivery of chemical in paper or electronic format if your product is:
- substance or a mixture that is classified as hazardous, or PBT/vPvB or SVHC;
- a mixture that is not classified as dangerous, but contains a substance posing human health or environmental hazards with a concentration of >1%w/w for non-gaseous mixtures or 0.2%v/v for gas;
- a mixture that is not classified as dangerous, but contains a substance that is PBT, or vPvB, or SVHC in an individual concentration of ≥ 0.1 % by weight for mixtures that are solid or liquids (i.e., non-gaseous mixtures);
*persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT), or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB), substance of very high conern(SVHC).
Note 1: REACH SDS is not required for substances/mixtures which are not classified as hazardous;
Note 2: REACH SDS is not required for end-user products such as cosmetics, detergents;
Note 3: Where a customer re-orders substances or mixtures, then the supplier does not need to re-supply the SDS, unless the sheet’s contents have been updated.
Note 4: EU SDS is consistent with GHS Safety Data Sheets. If you are new to GHS, please read the following basic GHS topics.
Introduction to GHS GHS Hazard Class and Hazard Category GHS Signal Word GHS Pictogram GHS Hazard Statement GHS Precautionary Statement GHS Label Element GHS Safety Data Sheet UN GHS Purple Book
Related GHS Info & Resources
REACH Registration Deadlines 2010, 2013 and 2018
REACH requires all companies manufacturing or placing a substance on the EU market in quantities greater than 1t/year to register that substance with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). For legal reasons, only companies with a legal entity in Europe are allowed to submit a registration; however, non-EU companies may submit registration by appointing an EU-based Only Representative to register on their behalf, in which case their importers will be regarded as downstream users and do not need to do registrations.
REACH Registration Deadlines 2010, 2013 and 2018
Substances can be categorized into two groups under REACH: phase-in substances and non phase-in substances. Each group has different REACH registration deadlines.
Phase-in substances("existing substances") enjoy benefits of extended registration deadlines if pre-registered before Dec 2008. The principle is that the higher the tonnage, the earlier the registration deadline. Substances classified as CMR1/2 or R50/53(100t/y+)need to be registered before 30 Nov 2010.
Non phase-in substances("new substances not covered by the definition of a phase in substance") need to be registered immediately before being placed in the EU market.
More info about REACH registration can be found below.
REACH Registration Deadlines
Reminder: Since Switzerland is not a member of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), EU REACH regulation does not apply. Switzerland has its own chemical regulations adopting REACH-like registration and restriction requirements. Please refer to Swiss Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO) and Swiss Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) for more info.
REACH Registration Deadlines 2010, 2013 and 2018
Substances can be categorized into two groups under REACH: phase-in substances and non phase-in substances. Each group has different REACH registration deadlines.
Phase-in substances("existing substances") enjoy benefits of extended registration deadlines if pre-registered before Dec 2008. The principle is that the higher the tonnage, the earlier the registration deadline. Substances classified as CMR1/2 or R50/53(100t/y+)need to be registered before 30 Nov 2010.
Non phase-in substances("new substances not covered by the definition of a phase in substance") need to be registered immediately before being placed in the EU market.
More info about REACH registration can be found below.
REACH Registration Deadlines
Reminder: Since Switzerland is not a member of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), EU REACH regulation does not apply. Switzerland has its own chemical regulations adopting REACH-like registration and restriction requirements. Please refer to Swiss Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO) and Swiss Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) for more info.
What is New? Top 10 Differences between Taiwan TCSCA and EU REACH Compared
Taiwan TCSCA is another new important REACH-like chemical regulation that imitates EU REACH regulation. Despite many similarities, Taiwan TCSCA and EU REACH are different in many aspects. In this article, we have summarized the top 10 differences between Taiwan TCSCA and EU REACH to help you comply with TCSCA.
REACH Registration Beginners' Guide
REACH requires all companies manufacturing or placing a substance on the EU market in quantities greater than 1t/year to register that substance with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). For legal reasons, only companies with a legal entity in Europe are allowed to submit a registration; however, non-EU companies may submit registration by appointing an EU-based Only Representative to register on their behalf, in which case their importers will be regarded as downstream users and do not need to do registrations.
The Scope of REACH Registration
- Substances manufactured/imported above 1t/y on its own or in preparations;(Note: some substances are exempted.)
- Substances in articles if present above 1 t/y and intended for release(for example, ink a pen);
- Monomer substances if present at a concentration above 2% in a polymer(for polymers, monomers shall be registered);
- Intermediates - reduced requirements and lower costs;
- Substances subject to Product and Process Oriented Research and Development( PPORD ) exempted from registration for 5 (+ 5) years; However, PPORD notification needs to be submitted.
The Deadline of REACH Registration
Substances can be categorized into two groups under REACH: phase-in substances and non phase-in substances. Each group has different REACH registration deadline.
Phase-in substances("existing substances") enjoy benefits of extended registration deadlines if pre-registered before Dec 2008. The principle is that the higher the tonnage, the earlier the registration deadline. Substances classified as CMR1/2 or R50/53(100t/y+)need to be registered before 30 Nov 2010 (see next diagram).
Non phase-in substances("new substances not covered by the definition of a phase in substance") need to be registered immediately before being placed in the EU market.
More info about REACH registration can be found below:
REACH Registration
Reminder: Since Switzerland is not a member of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), EU REACH regulation does not apply. Switzerland has its own chemical regulations adopting REACH-like registration and restriction requirements. Please refer to Swiss Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO) and Swiss Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) for more info.
The Scope of REACH Registration
- Substances manufactured/imported above 1t/y on its own or in preparations;(Note: some substances are exempted.)
- Substances in articles if present above 1 t/y and intended for release(for example, ink a pen);
- Monomer substances if present at a concentration above 2% in a polymer(for polymers, monomers shall be registered);
- Intermediates - reduced requirements and lower costs;
- Substances subject to Product and Process Oriented Research and Development( PPORD ) exempted from registration for 5 (+ 5) years; However, PPORD notification needs to be submitted.
The Deadline of REACH Registration
Substances can be categorized into two groups under REACH: phase-in substances and non phase-in substances. Each group has different REACH registration deadline.
Phase-in substances("existing substances") enjoy benefits of extended registration deadlines if pre-registered before Dec 2008. The principle is that the higher the tonnage, the earlier the registration deadline. Substances classified as CMR1/2 or R50/53(100t/y+)need to be registered before 30 Nov 2010 (see next diagram).
Non phase-in substances("new substances not covered by the definition of a phase in substance") need to be registered immediately before being placed in the EU market.
More info about REACH registration can be found below:
REACH Registration
Reminder: Since Switzerland is not a member of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), EU REACH regulation does not apply. Switzerland has its own chemical regulations adopting REACH-like registration and restriction requirements. Please refer to Swiss Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO) and Swiss Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) for more info.
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