International chemical law

Global registration of chemicals

REACH has set a global development in motion

More and more countries feel compelled to introduce complex chemical regulations or to reform existing regulations. Many of the latest chemical regulations cover a range of the requirements set out in REACH, e.g. the obligation to register and document chemical substances.

Chemical directories, which list industrial chemicals that are manufactured in a country or imported into a country, are a first step towards comprehensive legislation. Inventories of this kind serve primarily to differentiate between new and existing chemicals (new substances – old substances). Such directories are based on information reported to the responsible authorities by manufacturers, the processing industry, users and/or importers. In countries where a chemical inventory exists, a substance may be produced, imported or marketed only if it is listed in the corresponding inventory. The list then forms the commercial basis for the sale of chemicals.

Alongside the EU, the countries best known for their chemical inventories are Australia (AICS), Turkey (CIRC/KKDIK), Canada (DSL), China (IECSC), Japan (ENCS), Korea (ECL), New Zealand (NZIOC), the Philippines (PICCS), Switzerland (New Substance Notification), Taiwan (TCSI), Thailand (TECI) and the USA (TSCA). Elsewhere, chemical laws are currently in the process of being implemented, e.g. in Brazil, Vietnam, Malaysia and India.