China publishes FAQs on new chemical registration 
On Dec. 23, 2022, China’s Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center, the government department that administers new chemical registration, published on its website nine FAQs on new chemical registration.
The FAQs include those about the registration of new chemicals imported into China; how to check the registration status; and compliance with the requirements for new chemicals on the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China. The table below shows some of the FAQs.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When new chemicals are imported into China, who should register them, the exporter outside China or the importer in China? | New chemicals must be registered before they are imported according to Articles 4 and 11 of the Measures on the Environmental Management and Registration of New Chemical Substances. Either the exporter or importer involved in the import can register the chemicals. |
| When Company A in China has Company B in China produce a new chemical, who should register the chemical before production, Company A or Company B? | Company B, which actually produces the new chemical, should register it. When it is registered, information on Company A should be provided in the application form.
Note that Company B must meet the requirements for an applicant set out in Article 11 of the Measures on the Environmental Management and Registration of New Chemical Substances and the Guidelines on the Environmental Management and Registration of New Chemical Substances. |
| What types of registration applications can be canceled? How can we cancel them? | According to the Guidelines on the Environmental Management and Registration of New Chemical Substances, you can request the cancellation of an application for regular registration, simplified registration, new-purpose environmental management registration, changes to a registration certificate, etc. after the receipt of the application as long as it has not received approval yet, by submitting a cancellation form on the new chemical environmental management platform (http://zwfw.mee.gov.cn). You must provide the reason for the cancellation. |
| When importing new chemicals on the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China, how should we fulfill the environmental management registration requirements for the new chemicals. | First, you need to check if the chemicals are subject to new-purpose environmental management. If they are, you must register the new chemicals according to the Guidelines on the Environmental Management and Registration of New Chemical Substances. |
The FAQs (in Chinese) are available at
https://www.meescc.cn/ggzc/bszn/xhxwzgl_20061/cjwd/202212/t20221223_1008578.shtml
