China implements catalog-based management for hazardous chemicals. The “Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals (2015 Edition)” clearly defines hazardous chemicals as highly toxic chemicals and other substances with properties such as toxicity, corrosiveness, explosiveness, flammability, or oxidizing capability, which pose risks to human health, facilities, and the environment. The catalog includes a total of 2,828 substances.
In January 2022, aligned with the directives of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council in the Opinions on Comprehensively Strengthening the Safety Production of Hazardous Chemicals, as well as the Three-Year National Action Plan for Special Rectification of Work Safety issued by the State Council Work Safety Committee, the committee released the “National Hazardous Chemicals Safety Risk Concentrated Management Plan.” This plan tasked the Ministry of Emergency Management with upgrading the chemical registration system. The upgrades include adding enterprise-side and mobile-side functions, standardized automatic generation of “one document and one label” (Chemical Safety Data Sheets and Safety Labels), and expanding registration coverage to chemical and pharmaceutical enterprises. Each enterprise and each hazardous chemical will be managed with a unique code (“one enterprise, one chemical, one code”), providing the foundation for efficient hazard information transmission and precise full life cycle supervision.
In March 2022, the Ministry of Emergency Management issued the “14th Five-Year Plan for Hazardous Chemicals Safety Production.” The plan again emphasized improving chemical registration and identification systems, requiring registrations for chemical and pharmaceutical enterprises, and building a high-standard database. It called for the continued development and application of enterprise-side, mobile-side, and unique code management functions, enabling automatic generation, convenient inquiry, and efficient transmission of “one document and one label.” Upgrading and transforming the chemical registration system was explicitly listed as a key measure in strengthening the safety prevention and control system.
1. Relevant Policy Requirements for the Management of Hazardous Chemicals in China
1.1 Legislative Framework for Hazardous Chemicals Safety Management
The current “Regulation on the Safety Management of Hazardous Chemicals,” promulgated on January 26, 2002, has played an important role in strengthening the safety management of hazardous chemicals and in preventing and reducing hazardous chemical accidents. However, the regulation was last revised 13 years ago. With China’s rapid economic development, the safety situation regarding hazardous chemicals has become increasingly severe, and the relatively low legal level of the regulation makes it difficult to meet the requirements of managing modern, complex hazardous chemicals.
Based on the current state of hazardous chemicals management in China, it is necessary to establish a dedicated Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law on the basis of the existing regulation, to strengthen safety management across the entire chain and all stages of hazardous chemicals. On November 22, 2024, the State Council Executive Meeting was held to discuss and, in principle, approve the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals (Draft).” On December 21, the 13th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress reviewed the draft law. As of June 2025, the law has not yet been formally enacted.
The draft Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law consists of eleven chapters and 137 articles, covering General Provisions, Registration and Identification, Planning and Layout, Production and Storage Safety, Usage Safety, Business Operation Safety, Transportation Safety, Waste Disposal Safety, Accident Emergency Response, Legal Liabilities, and Supplementary Provisions.
The General Provisions of the draft clarify the purpose of legislation, the scope of application, and the definition of hazardous chemicals. It emphasizes that hazardous chemicals safety management must adhere to the policy of “safety first, prevention foremost, and comprehensive governance,” and implement the safety management principle of “whoever manages the industry must manage safety, whoever manages the business must manage safety, and whoever manages production and operation must manage safety” (the “Three Managements and Three Musts”).
The chapter on “Registration and Identification” stipulates that the state shall implement a hazardous chemicals registration system. Chemicals that meet the principles for determining hazardous chemicals must be registered, providing technical and information support for safety management, accident prevention, and emergency response. Hazardous chemicals used in research and development, pilot production, or trial sales are exempt from registration, with detailed methods to be determined, published, and adjusted by the State Council’s emergency management department together with other departments.
Hazardous chemical production and import enterprises must register with the registration agency under the responsibility of the State Council’s emergency management department. Registration content includes six items: classification and labeling information, physicochemical properties, main uses, hazardous characteristics, safety requirements for storage, usage, transportation, and disposal, and emergency response measures for hazardous situations. Duplicate registration of the same chemical by the same enterprise is not required, but if new hazardous characteristics are identified or registration details change, updates must be submitted promptly. The specific measures are to be formulated by the State Council’s emergency management department.
Hazardous chemicals registration agencies shall establish a registration information database and incorporate it into the management information system. They must provide query access to relevant government departments and disclose to the public safety data sheet information and emergency consultation hotlines.
1.2 The Hazardous Chemicals Management Standards System is Gradually Being Improved
In recent years, China has issued a series of mandatory national standards covering hazardous chemicals packaging, storage, emergency response, and special operations, gradually building a comprehensive standards system for hazardous chemicals management.
To strengthen safety risk control over major hazardous sources and prevent serious and major accidents, in November 2024 the Ministry of Emergency Management released the mandatory national standard “Technical Specifications for Safety Monitoring of Major Hazardous Sources of Hazardous Chemicals,” which will take effect on June 1, 2025. This standard defines the concept, scope, and functions of safety monitoring systems for major hazardous sources, and sets clear requirements for system design, construction, quality acceptance, operation and maintenance, and alarm management. It further improves the safety risk control standards framework for hazardous chemicals and provides essential technical support for effectively managing major safety risks.
In April 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of China) issued the “General Specifications for Safety Production Standardization of Hazardous Chemicals Enterprises,” which will come into effect on November 1, 2025. This specification integrates concepts from chemical process safety management and sets management requirements in 14 areas, including safety leadership, safety responsibility systems, equipment integrity, stakeholders, and change management. It also includes provisions on the application of new technologies and digital-intelligent control, aiming to meet the new challenges and demands faced by enterprises in achieving high-quality development.
Table 1 Mandatory National Standards Related to Hazardous Chemicals in China
| No. | Standard Number | Standard Title | Type | Status | Date of Issue | Date of Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GB 45673-2025 | General Specifications for Safety Production Standardization of Hazardous Chemicals Enterprises | Mandatory National Standard | Upcoming Implementation | 2025/4/25 | 2025/11/1 |
| 2 | GB 17681-2024 | Technical Specifications for Safety Monitoring of Major Hazardous Sources of Hazardous Chemicals | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2024/11/28 | 2025/6/1 |
| 3 | GB 30077-2023 | Requirements for the Allocation of Emergency Rescue Materials for Hazardous Chemicals Units | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2023/12/28 | 2024/9/1 |
| 4 | GB 15603-2022 | General Rules for the Storage of Hazardous Chemicals in Warehouses | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2022/12/29 | 2023/7/1 |
| 5 | GB 30871-2022 | Safety Specifications for Special Operations in Hazardous Chemicals Enterprises | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2022/3/15 | 2022/10/1 |
| 6 | GB 18265-2019 | Basic Safety Technical Requirements for Hazardous Chemicals Trading Enterprises | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2019/2/25 | 2019/11/1 |
| 7 | GB 36894-2018 | Risk Criteria for Hazardous Chemicals Production Units and Storage Facilities | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2018/11/19 | 2019/3/1 |
| 8 | GB 18218-2018 | Identification of Major Hazardous Sources of Hazardous Chemicals | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2018/11/19 | 2019/3/1 |
| 9 | GB 27833-2011 | Packaging Specifications for Organic Peroxides of Hazardous Chemicals | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2011/12/30 | 2012/8/1 |
| 10 | GB 27834-2011 | Packaging Specifications for Self-Reactive Substances of Hazardous Chemicals | Mandatory National Standard | Currently in Effect | 2011/12/30 | 2012/8/1 |
1.3 Regional Management of Hazardous Chemicals under the “One Enterprise, One Product, One Code” System
As early as July 2021, the Ministry of Emergency Management launched a pilot program in Guangdong Province to implement the “One Enterprise, One Product, One Code” system for the standardized labeling management of hazardous chemicals. To facilitate the pilot, the Guangdong Provincial Emergency Management Department issued the “Notice on Carrying Out the Application of the Comprehensive Service System for Chemical Registration and the ‘One Enterprise, One Product, One Code’ Labeling Management.”
During the pilot implementation, it was required that every hazardous chemical produced or imported by each hazardous chemical production or import enterprise must be assigned a corresponding, unique safety information code. This ensured the efficient transmission of hazard information and precise supervision of hazardous chemicals.
In February 2025, the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation officially implemented the “Application Specifications for Hazardous Chemicals Safety Information Codes,” further standardizing and regulating the application of safety information codes.
In February 2021, the Shanghai local standard “Technical Specifications for Information-Based Supervision of Hazardous Chemicals – Hazardous Chemicals Coding” came into effect.
In February 2024, the Shanghai Municipal Emergency Management Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission jointly issued the “Notice on Promoting Information-Based Management of Hazardous Chemicals Inbound and Outbound Warehousing and Dangerous Goods Handling Based on the ‘One Enterprise, One Product, One Code’ System.” The notice required hazardous chemicals enterprises in Shanghai to complete the assignment of safety codes and the construction or upgrading of dynamic warehousing systems by December 31, 2024 (see Column 1 for details).
In April 2024, the Beijing local standard “Technical Specifications for Full-Process Traceability Management of Hazardous Chemicals” was implemented. However, no specific policy documents related to full-process traceability of hazardous chemicals have been issued so far.
Column:
Shanghai Hazardous Chemicals Traceability Code Policy Requirements
Since 2021, Shanghai has introduced a series of policies on hazardous chemicals traceability. Among them, the 2024 “Notice on Promoting Information-Based Management of Hazardous Chemicals Inbound and Outbound Warehousing and Dangerous Goods Handling Based on the ‘One Enterprise, One Product, One Code’ System,” issued by the Shanghai Emergency Management Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, further clarified management requirements, forming a relatively complete system together with other related policies.
Legal Basis: Article 19 (Information-Based Inbound and Outbound Management) of the “Shanghai Hazardous Chemicals Safety Management Measures” requires enterprises that produce or store hazardous chemicals, enterprises with hazardous chemicals safety licenses, and other entities storing highly toxic chemicals or explosive precursors to adopt automatic identification technologies such as electronic tags to achieve dynamic management of inbound and outbound information. Hazardous chemicals regulatory authorities may obtain real-time stock and in/outbound data as needed.
Issued Policies and Standards:
- “Notice on Promoting Information-Based Management of Hazardous Chemicals Inbound and Outbound Warehousing and Dangerous Goods Handling Based on the ‘One Enterprise, One Product, One Code’ System”
- “Technical Specifications for Information-Based Supervision of Hazardous Chemicals – Hazardous Chemicals Traceability Code” (DB31/T 1250)
- “Guidelines for Hazardous Chemicals Inbound and Outbound Information Management and Traceability Code Construction in Shanghai”
Scope of Hazardous Chemicals: Hazardous chemicals listed in the “Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals,” specifically items 1–2827 and 88 sub-items under item 2828, must be mandatorily coded. Other sub-items under 2828 and hazardous chemical mixtures meeting the 70% principle are not required to be coded but must still be reported for inbound and outbound records.
Exempted Products:
- Packages smaller than 100 grams/milliliters do not require coding.
- Hazardous chemicals transported via pipelines, oil tankers, bulk chemical carriers, or LPG ships are exempt.
- Chemicals transported directly from Shanghai ports to other provinces/cities or directly to local enterprises for self-use as raw materials are exempt.
- Hazardous chemicals intended solely for export (planned).
- Daily consumer chemicals (planned).
Hazardous Chemicals Traceability Code: “One product, one batch, one code.” For the same enterprise, same chemical, same specification, and same batch, the QR codes on all packages are identical.
Labeling Requirements: Traceability codes must be printed or affixed to the smallest outer packaging at every circulation stage. For hazardous chemicals transported in tank trucks, virtual traceability codes may be used, or codes may be printed on delivery notes/orders.
Dynamic Inbound/Outbound System: Enterprises holding hazardous chemical production, usage, or storage licenses must build or upgrade dynamic information management systems for inbound and outbound hazardous chemicals that meet requirements and connect with the Shanghai hazardous chemicals regulatory information system.
Implementation Dates:
- Citywide: December 31, 2024
- Pudong: August 31, 2024
Special Circumstances: June 30, 2025 (for multinational companies conducting system upgrades)
2. Summary and Outlook on the Current Developments in Hazardous Chemicals Management in China
China’s hazardous chemicals traceability system is currently in a stage of continuous exploration and advancement. The Chemical Registration Center of the Ministry of Emergency Management has been conducting research on traceability methods based on the “One Enterprise, One Product, One Code” system. Relying on the comprehensive hazardous chemicals registration service system, and combined with the “One Enterprise, One Product, One Code” approach, the hazardous chemicals traceability system deployed in enterprises collects data on categories, quantities, and flow information of hazardous chemicals across production, storage, transportation, and usage stages. The system can issue alarms for issues such as excess quantities, overdue storage, and compatibility risks, thereby enabling effective traceability management of hazardous chemicals.
On February 18, 2025, the first plenary meeting of the 2025 Safety Production Committee of the Ministry of Natural Resources clearly stated that hazardous chemicals-related special planning will be one of the key tasks. Strict planning approval processes will be enforced, and hazardous chemicals-related special planning will be integrated into the “one map” management framework of national land and spatial planning. With the ongoing progress in hazardous chemicals legislation, the level of attention and management capacity for hazardous chemicals will continue to improve.
The national regulations issued provide important guidance for the construction of a hazardous chemicals safety management traceability system. At present, China does not yet have a national-level traceability coding standard or a unified traceability platform application for hazardous chemicals. Looking ahead, the construction of the hazardous chemicals traceability system still requires further improvements in relevant laws and regulations, development of a standardized system, establishment of mechanisms for division of responsibilities and data sharing, construction of a national hazardous chemicals traceability management platform, as well as enhanced training to improve the overall effectiveness of the traceability system.
