- Department:Evaluation Management Division
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) just promulgated the amendment of the “Regulations of New and Existing Chemical Substances Registration,” specifying that the standard registration information for 106 types of existing chemical substances shall be completed in 2 or 3 years. In addition, other requirements such as annual reporting that will be made by registrants are also specified to improve effective control over substances that are more widely used, more likely to be hazardous, or with insufficient data in Taiwan. The amendment is also to enhance multi-sectoral cooperation to control chemicals post risks.
EPA said that it has been cooperating with the Ministry of Labor (MOL) through a unified window for the chemical substances registration in Taiwan. At this time, the cooperation has been extended to harmonize the regulations between the two agencies. Also, to align with the registration regulation of the MOL, the registrants should now submit hazard and exposure assessment for substances with the manufacture or import quantity at 10 tons or more, instead of 1000 tons or more. Furthermore, the period of its annual reporting, which will be from April to September every year, is also harmonized with the period of Priority Management Chemicals of the MOL.
With the goal to streamline the processes, the regulation is amended to clarify that the phase 1 registration is required in 6 months after the quantity of existing chemical substances reaches 100 kg per year; a new description is added that information protection could be applied to existing chemical substances and the valid period for the information protection for small quantity registration for polymers of low concern is extended to 5 years to meet the practical conditions. In addition, application for registration documents after obtaining registration numbers issued by the authority is no longer required. Also, an appeal mechanism as a channel of the administrative remedy is also provided.
EPA emphasized that a transitional period will be implemented for the above mentioned requirements of standard registration for existing chemical substance and for annual reporting to allow business entities to take necessary actions. These requirements will not be taken effect until January 1, 2020. EPA will be holding seminars after the announcement. EPA urged manufacturers and importers to prepare for the registration as required and submit the information of chemical substances for their manufacturing, physical, chemical and toxicological properties, hazard and exposure assessments and other relevant information that shall be registered according to the tonnage.
The announced information of the amendment is available for download at the News Section of EPA website (https://enews.moenv.gov.tw/enews/fact_index.asp) and has been also published at the Executive Yuan Gazette Online (https://gazette.nat.gov.tw) 3 days after the announcement.
