Recently, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan issued an important notice under the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act, requiring relevant enterprises to submit reports by September 30, 2024, on the estimated production, extraction, refining, and use of designated substances in 2025. It aims to comply with the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was established in 1992 and ratified in 1995. Japan has been steadily implementing the obligations, including reporting and accepting international inspections.

Taiwan's Ministry of Labor (MOL) released a draft amendment of Regulations for Governing Designating and Handling of Priority Management Chemicals.

On December 18, 2023, China's Ministry of Ecological Environment (MEE) announced the addition of a batch of 25 registered substances that fulfill the requirements of existing substances into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China (IECSC). CIRS warmly reminds you that related enterprises must make sure whether their substances are existing substances. The Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12) require enterprises to complete new substance registration/record before manufacturing or importing, or they may face various punishments.

On November 7, 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published the 15th batch of simplified registration certificates for new chemical substances in 2023. In accordance with the Measures for Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (hereinafter referred to as the “Measures”), China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment has approved a total of 13 simplified registrations of new chemical substances after review, and all these applications have met relevant requirements for simplified registrations.

On November 7, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of China published the 7th batch of regular registrations for new chemical substances in 2023 in accordance with the Open Government Information Regulation of the People's Republic of China (Order No.711 of the State Council).

On October 11, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published the 13th batch of simplified registrations for new chemical substances in 2023. In accordance with the Measures for Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12), the MEE has approved a total of nine simplified registration applications of new chemical substances after review, and all these applications meet relevant requirements and are approved to conduct simplified registrations.

On September 26, 2023, the Commission on Constitution, Justice and Citizenship (CCJC) in Brazil published PL 6120/2019. Eariler on May 9, 2023, CCJC approved the bill (PL 6120/2019) and has send it to the Federal Senate for further consideration. PL 6120/2019 proposes to set up a national chemical inventory as a national database to collect the information on chemicals imported or manufactured in Brazil with hazard characteristics. If PL 6120/2019 is approved, Brazil will be the fourth country in South America that have chemical management regulations, following Peru, Chile, and Colombia.

On September 8, 2023, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly published a notice on the declaration schedule for the manufacturing and import of new chemical substances in 2024, bringing important information to industries in the chemical sector. In accordance with laws on chemical substance review and manufacturing, enterprises must make a declaration according to the regulations before manufacturing or importing new chemical substances to obtain relevant determination notice, so as to undergo review on the properties of the chemical substance.

On July 3, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published the approval results of the fourth batch of regular registrations of new chemical substances in 2023. In accordance with the Measures for Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12), THE MEE hereby released results after review.

On July 7, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published approval results of the ninth batch of simplified registration of new chemical substances in 2023. In accordance with the Measures for Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12), the MEE hereby published the results after review.