China

China MEP Order 22 Measures for Environmental Administration Registration of Hazardous Chemicals

Little Pro on 2015-12-29

Note: China MEP order 22 was revoked on 15 July 2016 (source). This article is no longer valid.

The trial Measures for Environmental Administration Registration of Hazardous Chemicals (MEP Order 22) was issued in Oct 2012 and came into force on 1 March 2013. This regulation is promulgated in accordance with the article 6 of Decree 591 and is MEP’s version of HazChem registration in China. One of the significances of MEP order 22 is that it introduces PRTR system into China.

Main Requirements of China MEP Order 22

Under MEP’s order 22, manufacturers and companies who use hazardous chemicals to manufacture products(“user”) in China shall register hazardous chemicals listed in the Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals with local environmental protection authorities and obtain environmental administration registration certificates.

For Priority Hazardous Chemicals for Environmental Management (PHCs), companies shall entrust qualified institutions to prepare an environmental risk assessment report and submit this report to authorities when applying for a registration certificate (article 10). PHCs are also subject to Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) reporting every year.

In addition, MEP’s order 22 requires that companies who intend to export or import toxic chemicals on the “List of toxic chemicals severely restricted to be imported into or exported from China” apply for registration certificates or custom clearance notification from Solid Waste and Chemical Management Center (MEP-SCC).

The picture below shows how different types of hazardous chemicals are controlled by MEP order 22.

China MEP Order 22 HazChem Registration

 

Environmental Administration Registration

Manufacturers and users of hazardous chemicals listed in the Catalogue shall register them with local environmental protection authorities prior to the issue of acceptance letter for a new or enlarged facility. The following info needs to be submitted:

  • Environment administration registration form including legal entity information, the names of hazardous chemicals, volume, uses, operational method, safety data sheet, environmental risk management measures, transfer of waste and disposal of hazardous waste and typical pollutant emissions;
  • Result of environmental impact assessment of a project;
  • Environment contingency plan;
  • Environment monitoring report;
  • Environment risk assessment report issued by qualified institutions(for PHCs only);

Certificates are usually issued by environmental protection authority at city level and are valid for 3 years. For PHCs, certificates are issued by environmental protection authorities at provincial level.

Certificates are usually issued by environmental protection authority at city level and are valid for 3 years. For PHCs, certificates are issued by environmental protection authorities at provincial level.

Note: Not all hazardous chemicals in the Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals require registrations. MEP is planning to publish a list of hazardous chemicals exempt from registrations, i.e, chemicals with physical hazards only.

Priority Hazardous Chemicals for Environmental Management & PRTR

The list of priority hazardous chemicals for environmental management (PHCs) is promulgated and maintained by China MEP. Chemicals on this list are selected from the Catalogue of Hazardous Chemicals and are prioritized for environmental management due to their potential to cause serious harm to human health or the environment, i.e, PBT, CMR substances, POPs.

In addition to submitting extra info for environmental administration registrations, manufacturers and users of PHCs shall submit pollutant release & transfer register (PRTR) form and environmental risk management plans to environmental protection authorities at county level before 31st Jan of each calendar year. They shall also carry out environment monitoring of hazardous chemicals and waste.

This first list of PHCs was published in April 2014 and it contains 84 chemicals. To access the list, please click the links below:

Registration of Toxic Chemicals Restricted from Export/Import

Foreign companies which export restricted toxic chemicals to China shall apply for a Registration Certificate from the Solid Waste and Chemical Management Center of MEP (MEP-SCC). One Registration Certificate is issued for only one type of toxic chemical, to only one foreign company with only one China domestic company as its trader; and each Registration Certificate is issued with a quantity limit and with a valid period of two years.

For every batch of goods imported to China, the Chinese importer shall also apply for an Import Clearance Notification by providing a copy of the Registration Certificate obtained from its contract partner, i.e. the foreign exporter. Domestic companies shall apply for Export Clearance Notification for every batch of toxic chemicals before exporting those goods to other countries.

There are approximately 162 chemicals on the “List of toxic chemicals severely restricted to be imported into or exported from China” and they are identified by names and HS codes. For a mixture containing a substance on the list, registration is not required if the HS code of the mixture itself is not listed.

To access the list, please click the links below:

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 Tags: Topics - ChinaWorkplace and Environmental Safety