China’s Zhuhai city releases draft 2022 list of banned, restricted, controlled hazardous chemicals to seek comments

On June 24, 2022, Zhuhai city, Guangdong province, China, published on its website a draft 2022 list of banned, restricted and controlled hazardous chemicals to seek public comments, which were accepted until July 6, 2022. The draft list sets out requirements for new construction of facilities that produce, store, manage or use hazardous chemicals. New construction of certain types of facilities related to hazardous chemicals would be banned. New construction, remodeling and extension of hazardous chemical facilities outside chemical industry parks would be banned as well. The approval process for the construction of facilities related to highly toxic chemicals, toxic gases, flammable and explosive chemicals and synthetic ammonia would be made stricter. Paint makers would be banned from using solid nitrocellulose unless they have a storage facility. Approval for companies using highly toxic chemicals without a storage facility would be restricted. Construction of hazardous chemical facilities for gas stations, hydrogen refueling stations and ports (and railways and airports) as well as specified construction projects of Sinopec would be excluded from the above regulations.

The draft 2022 list consists of three sublists: a list of substances banned across the city, a list of substances restricted and controlled in the central city and a list of substances restricted and controlled in the areas outside the central city. Companies that produce, use, transport, store or handle chemicals on the first sublist would be allowed to purchase them from qualified hazardous chemical sellers after obtaining an approval from the relevant government department. Purchased chemicals would have to be transported by qualified companies and used and stored in accordance with national laws and regulations.

Hazardous chemicals that are not included in the three sublists would only be allowed to be distributed as reagents compliant with national standards. These hazardous chemicals would have to be transported by qualified companies and used and stored in accordance with national laws and regulations.

The draft list is based on the national 2015 List of Hazardous Chemicals. If the national list is updated, Zhuhai city’s list will also be revised accordingly.

The full text of the draft list (in Chinese) is available at
http://www.zhuhai.gov.cn/xw/gsgg/content/post_3307071.html