Emergency response articles
Is Pakistan becoming a dumping ground for hazardous waste?
Environmentalists and politicians have expressed concern over reports that a number of developed countries are sending their hazardous waste to Pakistan.
2021 CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX from Transparency International:
4. Singapore
18. Australia
18. Japan
25. Taiwan
32. South Korea
62. Malaysia
66. China
85. India 87. Vietnam
96. Indonesia
110. Thailand
117. Philippines
Managing Dangerous Cargo Risk in the Era of Digitalisation
The safety of ships carrying dangerous goods has always been a concern for the shipping community. To improve the security and safety of such carriage, international conventions and individual countries/territories have constructed a series of laws and regulations in terms of ship structure, personnel requirements, mechanism establishment, emergency disposal, DG warehouse and port facilities, etc.
What were the lessons learned from the Bangladesh container explosion?
Earlier this month, a fire engulfed a container depot in southeastern Bangladesh, killing at least 49 people and injuring more than 300. The huge loss of life and property highlighted the importance of proper labeling, storing, and handling of cargo, whether at sea or on land.
Hapag-Lloyd adopts dangerous goods screening software
The tool aims to prevent the improper loading of dangerous cargo onto vessels, thereby improving safety and reducing the occurrence of container fires. An analysis of 2020 marine insurance trends by IUMI highlighted container fires as a particular area of concern for the industry, affecting seafarers, the environment, and cargo, hull, and liability insurance.
Why Protectionism is Rattling Markets in Southeast Asia
A supply squeeze has led to a spate of state interventions to control the prices of basic goods, but the inflation crisis is unlikely to be prolonged.
Hundreds of boxes damaged in latest containership blaze off Colombo
Reports have emerged of another sizeable fire onboard a boxship. Insurance firm WK Webster carries news of a fire on the 8,586 teu Zim Charleston 10 days ago in the Indian Ocean.
Tracking from MarineTraffic shows the ship made for Colombo after the fire erupted, where the ship remains today.
Not Like DHL: Meet Dangerous Goods Shipper DG Air Freight
From explosives to COVID-19 to radioactive material, specialist shipping company DG Air Freight is able to handle the riskiest air freight.
Regulatory Update
Australia
Australia Removes a Wrongly Listed Chemical from AIIC (Updated on June 30, 2022) 30 Jun 2022 The chemical (CAS No. 1428963-39-6) will be removed from AIIC on July 29 of 2022, and the correct one (CAS No. 1431957-88-8) will be added...
Australia Completes 27 Evaluation Statements Covering 157 Industrial Chemicals (Updated on June 30, 2022) 30 Jun 2022 On June 30, 2022, the Australian Government issued a notice to make public the consultation outcomes of 27 completed evalutation statements...
Inventory Update: Revocation of 6 CBI Approvals and Restoration of 1 Substance in the AIIC 14 Jul 2022 On July 14, 2022, the Australian Government published two notices to declare some changes of the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC)...
Chemical Introduction in Australia: Transitional Period for NICNAS Exemptions Expires on August 31, 2022 12 Jul 2022 From September 1, 2022, enterprises cannot manufacture or import industrial chemicals under any of the NICNAS exemptions and they shall comply with the obligations under the AICIS...
Inventory Update: Australia Adds 11 Chemicals into Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals 04 Aug 2022 In late July 2022, the Australian Government issued three notices to declare some updates of the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC)...
Reminder: Australia Starts Annual Declaration under AICIS on August 1 08 Aug 2022 The annual declaration ends submission period on November 30, 2022...
China
China to Revise 4 Hazardous Chemicals Regulations
One of China’s MEM officials discloses that the revisions to four regulations regarding the safety management of hazardous chemicals in China have been drafted. And authority is actively engaged with promoting updates on many other related regulations and standards.
Shanghai: Dangerous Goods Shall be Declared within 24 Hours before Arriving at Shanghai Port
June 24, the Shanghai International Port Group issued the Notification, requiring shipping companies and agents involving certain hazardous chemicals to submit the Declaration of Operation of Dangerous Goods within 24 hours prior to arrival Port since July 1 of 2022.
China Revises Requirements on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting
June 8, 2022, China’s MEE issued the Notice on the Adjustment of the Key Tasks Related to the Management of Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emission Report in 2022.
China Consults on Over 400 Industrial Standards 12 Jul 2022 On July 1, 2022, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a notice consulting on 338 industrial standards and 98 standards for standard samples...
China to Issue Standard for Anti-fingerprint Coatings 08 Jul 2022 To make clear the specific list or identification criteria for special functional coatings, China has approved some projects on formulating relevant standards for special functional coatings on May 13, 2022, including anti-fogging coatings and anti-fingerprint coatings...
China Updates FAQs for New Chemical Registration 05 Jul 2022 The Solid Waste and Chemical Management Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (SCC-MEE) has released a series of FAQs to help enterprises fulfill their obligations under the Measures...
Dangerous Goods to Be Declared within 24 Hours before Arriving at Shanghai Port 05 Jul 2022 From July 1, 2022 the shipping companies and agents involving certain hazardous chemicals shall declare their dangerous goods via email within 24 hours prior to arriving at Shanghai Port... China Consults on 10 New Food Ingredients and Food-related Products 05 Jul 2022 1 food raw material, 1 food-related product and 8 food additives were involved in this consultation. REACH24H, the founder of ChemLinked, successfully finished applications of a new FCM additive and a food processing aid with expanded application scope...
China’s Draft Law on Safety of Hazardous Chemicals to Be Submitted for Deliberation 19 Jul 2022 The Law is ready for the first reading at the NPC Standing Committee... China MEE Adds 22 Chemical Substances into IECSC
July 19, 2022, China MEE published a notice, announcing that 22 substances were added into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (IECSC).
China Consults on Priority Substances Subject to Environmental Risk Assessment
July 20, 2022, China MEE issued a notice to solicit public proposals for the first batch of priority chemical substances subject to environmental risk assessment as part of the country’s efforts to promote the control of new pollutants in China.
China Seeks Information on 3 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
July 20, 2022, China MEE issued a circular to solicit information concerning three persistent organic pollutants (POPs), i.e., Dechlorane Plus, UV-328, and methoxychlor. Stakeholders are welcome to provide the MEE with relevant information before August 20, 2022.
China Solicits Public Proposals for Priority Chemical Substances Subject to Environmental Risk Assessment 21 Jul 2022 The first batch of priority chemicals subject to environmental risk assessment is expected to be published in 2022...
China Receives Conformity Assessments for 21,933 Products under China RoHS 2 22 Jul 2022 Among the 21,933 products, 16,885 products use self-declaration and 5,048 products use certification...
China MEE Adds 22 Substances into IECSC (Updated on July 19) 22 Jul 2022 On July 19, 2022, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published a notice, announcing that 22 substances were included into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (IECSC)...
China Solicits Information Concerning Three Persistent Organic Pollutants 26 Jul 2022 The three POPs include Dechlorane Plus, UV-328, and methoxychlor. Relevant information is welcome before August 20, 2022...
China Relaxes Environmental Law Enforcement to Boost Economic Recovery 28 Jul 2022 China is relaxing environmental enforcement policies for economic recovery...
China MEE Further Clarifies Practical Issues in Record Notification of New Polymers 05 Aug 2022 Test data and relevant literatures are required to prove that the concerned new polymers do not fall under the five exclusions specified in the Guidance on MEE Order No.12, and thus are eligible for record notification...
More Chinese Cities to Pilot Hazchem QR Code, Including Suzhou 10 Aug 2022 Hazchem QR code will be mandatory in Suzhou by the end of October and special inspections will be carried out. Zhejiang and Shandong will implement pilot programs in a targeted manner...
China Unveils 36 New National Food Safety Standards and 3 Amendments 29 Jul 2022 NHC and SAMR unveiled a total of 36 new GB food standards and 3 amendment sheets. Several significant standards related to contaminant limits in food, beverages, cheese, concentrated milk, and food contact materials were involved...
Shenzhen Sets Limits for VOCs and Hazchem in Cleaning Agents Used for Microelectronics and Electronic Assembly 16 Aug 2022 The Standard is expected to be mandatory, however, a transitional period will be offered for compliance...
Shanghai Strengthens Digitalization in Road Transportation & Storage of Dangerous Goods 17 Aug 2022 Shanghai established digital system to inspect five must-check issues for road transport of dangerous goods...
China to Construct System for Carbon Emission Calculation 24 Aug 2022 On August 19, 2022, China released a plan to accelerate the construction of a system to calculate carbon emissions and four main tasks are deployed...
India
India Consults on Draft Revisions to ‘Code of Safety’ for Acetone and Acetaldehyde 22 Jul 2022 Public comments are welcome before August 15, 2022 for acetone and before August 21, 2022 for acetaldehyde...
India Consults on Third Revision of Classification of Dangerous Goods 03 Aug 2022 2,336 dangerous goods are classified according to the hazards they present...
India Further Delays Implementation of Quality Control Orders for Four Substances (Updated on July 27) 04 Aug 2022 On July 27, 2022, India announced to delay the implementation of quality control orders for acetic acid, aniline, methanol and morpholine, of which were planned to come in force in August 2022...
India QR Code Application on Electronic Products 09 Aug 2022 India amends Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules to allow electronic products to declare certain information through QR codes...
India Consults on Draft Revised Standard for Liquid Sulphur Dioxide 11 Aug 2022 The Standard prescribes requirements and methods of sampling and test for liquid sulphur dioxide for use as refrigerant, fumigant, bleaching agent, antichlor and as a raw material in synthetic chemical...
India Further Delays Implementation of Quality Control Orders for Six Substances (Updated on Aug.11) 18 Aug 2022 On Aug 11, 2022, India announced to delay the implementation of quality control orders for gamma picoline, beta picoline, potassium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, acetone, pyridine...
India DCPC and ILO Sign Agreement to Adopt International Chemical Safety Cards 23 Aug 2022 ICSCs will be used to provide essential safety and health information on chemicals to the industry to promote safe use of chemicals in the workplace...
Japan
Japan Seeks Testing Data to Help Classify 46 Hazardous Chemicals
June 14, 2022, the Japan MHLW, METI, and MoE announced to join forces with JNIOSH and NITE to start a new project to regularly collect testing data on chemical hazards from the public every year.
[Updated] Japan Proposes to Add Additional Existing Substances into the FCM Positive List 01 Jul 2022 Japan re-opened the nomination for existing substances to be included in the positive list, which would be the last opportunity to submit the application...
Japan to Ban 56 PFOA-related Compounds Under CSCL
July 7, 2022, the Central Environment Council under Japan MoE issued a notice that 56 perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA)-related compounds will be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances controlled under Chemical Substance Control Law (CSCL).
Japan to Ban 56 PFOA-related Compounds 13 Jul 2022 56 PFOA-related compounds will be added into the List of Class I Specified Chemical Substances. 8 kinds of products containing the 56 compounds will be prohibited from import...
Japan Chemical Industry Association Publishes SDS Guidance 18 Jul 2022 For multi-constituent substances, illustrative examples of how Section 3 and Section 15 could look are given in the guidance...
Japan PRTR: CAS Numbers Updated for Class I and II substances 01 Aug 2022 On July 26, 2022, Japan updated the List of CAS numbers for the Class I and Class II substances controlled under the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law...
Japan Announces 185 New Chemicals Substances as General Chemical Substances under CSCL 08 Aug 2022 These substances have been notified for five years and evaluated to be neither persistent nor highly bioaccumulative under the CSCL...
Singapore
Singapore Consults on Adding 26 Chemicals Subject to Hazardous Substances Licensing Control 01 Jul 2022 HS license or HS permit shall be obtained for corresponding activities involving the regulated chemicals...
South Korea
S.Korea to Conduct 2022 Safety Investigation under K-BPR
June 13, 2022, South Korea’s MOE issued a notice on conducting safety investigation of approved consumer chemical products in 2022, under Article 7 of K-BPR and Article 9 of the Framework Act on Product Safety.
South Korea Consults on Handling Standards for 360 Hazardous Chemicals
July 21, 2022, South Korea NICS consulted on the draft amendments to the Regulation on Specific Handling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals. The handling standards for each hazardous chemical are stipulated in the Annex of NICS Announcement No.2022-77, which consists of 1147 items.
Korea Delays the Adoption of New Limit for Lead in Metal Ornaments 28 Jul 2022 The grace period for implementing restrictions on manufacture, import, sale, keeping/storage, transportation, and use of lead and its mixture (above 0.009% of lead) in metal ornaments is further extended by two years...
South Korea Consults on Handling Standards for 360 Hazardous Chemicals 02 Aug 2022 Each hazardous chemical is provided with corresponding handling standards...
South Korea Publishes Classification and Labeling Guide for Mixtures 04 Aug 2022 The NIER provides numerous examples in the Guide to further facilitate enterprises' understanding of the classification and labeling methods...
South Korea Finalizes Criteria for the Designation of Candidate Substances Subject to Authorization (Updated on July 29) 08 Aug 2022 South Korea to introduce the new regulation for designating substances subject to authorization under K-REACH in line with the adopted amendments to K-REACH Enforcement Rules...
South Korea Expands QR Codes Pilot to 39 Household Chemical Products subject to Safety Confirmation 18 Aug 2022 South Korea piloted QR codes for disinfectants from Sep 2021 and expanded it to include all listed household products from June 2022...
South Korea to Update Hazard Assessment Results of New Chemical Substances Registered under K-REACH 18 Aug 2022 On July 22, 2022, South Korea issued the NIER Announcement No.2022-317, seeking public comments on the updates of the hazard assessment results of new chemical substances registered under K-REACH...
South Korea Bans 623 Household Products from Market in H1 2022 18 Aug 2022 These products have been listed on the Hazardous Products Sales Prevention System and are subject to an immediate ban in stores and supermarkets...
South Korea Simplifies Data Requirements for Exemption Confirmation for Non-hazardous R&D Substances 25 Aug 2022 The authority issued slides to guide the actual application for exemption confirmation under K-REACH...
South Korea Urges Enterprises to Apply for AS Approval under K-BPR before 2023 25 Aug 2022 On August 16, 2022, South Korea reminded stakeholders that the approval grace period of existing active substances (AS) used for 5 types of biocidal products (BP) in Group A is coming to an end on December 31, 2022...
Taiwan
Taiwan Consults on Amendments of Labelling and SDS Regulation for Toxic and Concerned Chemicals 26 Jul 2022 Minimum dimensions of labels for containers or packaging with different capacities are proposed in line with EU CLP...
Taiwan EPA Brings Forward the Implementation Date of the Ban on the Use of Chlorpyrifos as Ingredients for Environmental Agents (Updated on July 1) 14 Jul 2022 Taiwan EPA added Chlorpyrifosmethyl and Chlorpyrifos as prohibited ingredients for environmental agents...
Taiwan to Update Emission Limits for Hazardous Air Pollutants 01 Aug 2022 On July 29, 2022, Taiwan opened a 60-day public consultation on amendments to the Hazardous Air Pollutant Species and Emission Limit Standards for the First Batch of Stationary Pollution Sources...
Vietnam
Vietnam to Revise Decree on Management of Chemicals Regulated by Chemical Weapons Convention 25 Jul 2022 Vietnam will add exemptions for managing Schedule chemicals and streamline administrative procedures for import and export of Schedule chemicals...
OURAY Corner
OURAY has been working with two industry organizations that have come together to provide additional PTZ and response support throughout the United States. These groups are the “Basic Acrylic Monomer Manufacturers” (http://www.bamm.net/member-companies2/) and the “Methacrylate Producers Association” (http://www.mpausa.org/member-companies/).
This PTZ response initiative was organized and implemented several years ago by BAMM/MPA, but OURAY just received word that we will be the new providers for the response initiative moving forward. OURAY believes that this program will undoubtedly look different in the Asia-Pacific Region. We would like interested BAMM/MPA members with APAC operations to reach out to us to see if there is enough interest to work together and spread out the costs.