- Department:Chemicals Administration Ministry of Environment
On1 May, 2017, the EPA announced the new draft amendments to the Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act. Other than focusing on chemical substances for food safety management and maintaining the current controls of toxic chemical substances in Categories 1 to 4, the new version also adds regulations specifically for concerned chemical substances.
To enhance controls on concerned chemical substances for food safety and promote at-source control of the Five-Defense Plan, the EPA has worked to revise the Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act to create a secure and sustainable chemical environment. Focuses of the draft revision include expanding controls on concerned chemical substances, strengthening competent authorities’ inspecting powers, adding a cross-departmental coordination mechanism, and implement the polluter-pays principle.
Regulations concerning controls of the current chemical substances in Categories 1 to 4 will remain intact to maintain the public’s understanding of said chemicals. On the other hand, a special chapter of regulations is added to expand listing of concerned chemical substances.
The EPA stated that the focuses of the revision are as follows:
- “Concerned chemical substances” are added to increase the number of substances listed for control under categorized management in order to keep track of their movements. Meanwhile, the EPA also strengthens competent authorities’ inspecting power.
- Competent authorities will intensify operations on concerned chemical substances and those that should be registered other than toxic chemicals, and inspection authority will be clearly defined.
- The National Chemical Substances Management Consultation Meeting is to be organized to coordinate the responsibilities and regulations for competent authorities of different industries, enhance the overall chemical substances controls in Taiwan, and reinforce inter-ministerial communication.
- Based on the polluter-pays principle, details such as collection purposes, targets, and utilizations of the chemical substances fund are added to increase fund sources to expanding controls on chemical substances.
- The emergency consulting system will be enhanced in response to environmental incidents, while current responsibilities of the central and regional competent authorities will be examined.
- Other new additions include the whistleblower clause, witness protection, citizens’ reports, public interest litigation, and recovery of illegal gains.
Source: EPA Environmental Policy Monthly, p.8-9, Vol. XX, Issue 6, 2017
