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China Revises List of Highly Restricted Toxic Chemicals

SafeGuardSHardgoods, Softlines, Personal and Protective Equipment, Toys and Juvenile Products, Electrical & Electronics, AutomotiveNovember 06, 2023

SG 146/23

China has revised its list of prohibited hazardous chemicals. The amended list became effective on October 18, 2023.

On October 18, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and other competent authorities announced their latest list of highly restricted toxic chemicals in China (‘2023 List’), a list of prohibited chemicals with limited use from the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), Rotterdam Convention on Hazardous Chemicals and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The ‘2023 List’ contains several important changes when compared to the ‘2020 List’. It:

  • Adds two entries:
    1. Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE)
    2. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds (see Table 1, entries 1 and 2 below)
  • Deletes hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)
  • Revises the permitted use of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS-F) to only for the manufacture of fire-fighting foams until December 31, 2023
  • Details the time-limited use of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP, see Table 1, entry 3 below)

Highlights of the ‘2023 List’ for the two new entries and SCCP are summarized in Table 1.

EntryChemicalPermitted Use
1Deca-BDEUntil December 31, 2023:
  • Additives for plastic shells and components used in household heating appliances, irons, fans and immersion heaters, subject to less than 10% by weight of the parts
  • Polyurethane (PU) foam for building insulations
  • Textiles that require flame retardancy characteristics (excluding clothing and toys)
2PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compoundsRestricted to the following uses:
  • Photolithography or etch processes in semiconductor manufacturing
  • Photographic coatings for films
  • Textiles – oil- and water repellence for the protection of workers from hazardous liquids
  • Invasive and implantable medical devices
  • Manufacture of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
  • Manufacture of perfluorooctyl bromide with perfluorooctyl iodide for the purpose of pharmaceutical uses
  • Manufacture of fluorinated ethylene propylene in the production of wires and cables for power transmission
3SCCPUntil December 31, 2023:
  • Additives in the production of conveyor belts in the rubber industry
  • Adhesives
  • Leather industry
  • Lubricating oil additives
  • Metal processing
  • Outdoor decorative lamps
  • Secondary plasticizer for flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC), excluding toys and children’s products
  • Spare parts for rubber conveyor belts in mining and forestry
  • Waterproof and flame-retardant paints

Table 1

The announcement repealed the ‘2020 List’ and became effective on October 18, 2023.

With an extensive global network of highly experienced technicians and local state-of-the-art laboratories, SGS’s Restricted Substance Testing Service (RSTS) has developed a one-stop solution for manufacturers and suppliers. Discover more on our website, visit our RSTS cloud and contact us if you would like to learn more about how SGS can support. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

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