South Korea to Newly Specify and Regulate 56 Chemical Substances as Toxic Substances

On October 4, 2023, the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), which is housed within the South Korean Ministry of Environment, declared that it would be designating 56 chemical substances as toxic under the Act on Registration, Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals.

These substances were selected from a list of chemical substances that had undergone hazardousness testing. The NIER said that it would publish a new proposed amendment with the significant revision noted above to the Notice on the Designation of Toxic Substances (NIER Notice No. 2023-459) and solicit public feedback until October 23, 2023.

From now on, businesses handling these chemicals will be required to confirm the chemicals, display the hazardous chemicals, declare when importing, obtain business licences, comply with handling standards, comply with standards for the installation and management of facilities that handle the substance, and perform other duties based on the Chemicals Control Act once these chemicals are officially designated and notified as toxic substances.

The 56 toxic substances to be newly designated are as follows.

 

Businesses that have been handling these toxic substances before the date of promulgation of the law (to be determined) will be given a grace period to comply with these regulations by the date as specified for each of the following provisions.

1. Duty for confirming chemical substances in accordance with Article 9 of the Chemicals Control Act: July 1, 2024
2. Duty for display regarding chemical substances in accordance with Article 16 of the Chemicals Control Act: July 1, 2024
3. Duty for declaration for importing toxic substances in accordance with Article 20 of the Chemicals Control Act: July 1, 2024
4. Duty for submission of the chemical accident prevention and management plan in accordance with Article 23 of the Chemicals Control Act: January 1, 2026
5. Duty for obtaining business licenses for hazardous chemical substances in accordance with Article 28 of the Chemicals Control Act: January 1, 2026
6. Duty for complying with handling standards for hazardous chemical substances in accordance with Article 13 of the Chemicals Control Act: January 1, 2025
7. Duty for complying with standards for the installation and management of facilities that handle hazardous chemical substances in accordance with Article 24 of the Chemicals Control Act: July 1, 2027

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