Australia Adds Six Substances to IChEMS Standard, Including DBDPE and Mercury

On June 25, 2025, the Australian Government published the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Instrument 2025 on the Federal Register of Legislation. This amendment modifies the 2022 Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Instrument by adding six new substances to the schedules under the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standards (IChEMS).

Of the six substances, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and mercury (including mercury compounds) are newly listed in Schedule 6—Relevant industrial chemicals that are likely to cause serious or irreversible harm to the environment with essential uses. According to the risk management measures under Column 3, the manufacture, use, import, or export of these substances in Australia is prohibited, except for essential uses. The prohibition dates are January 1, 2027, for DBDPE, and January 1, 2026, for mercury and its compounds.