In response to the national new pollutant control programme published by the State Council on May 24, 2022, local governments in China are announcing programmes for controlling new pollutants one after another. Jan. 1, 2023, saw the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment announce… Read More »Chinese Local governments now have laws governing microplastics as part of their new pollutant management initiatives.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”) announced in a press release dated May 15, 2023 that the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11), which was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 1 to May 12, 2023, decided to… Read More »POPs Convention approved the insertion of dechlorane plus/UV-328 to Annex A

Chemical and other industries VOC emission reduction standards are included in the drafted plan. The Guangdong province, China, Department of Ecology and Environment published a draught planfor 2023–2025 to minimise volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxide (NOx)emissions for ozone pollution control on January 3,… Read More »Guangdong province in China launches programme to cut VOC and NOxemissions for ozone pollution control for 2023–2025.

On April 7th of 2023, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) Proposed to amend the No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) for ethylene oxide to 0.058 micrograms per day from existing 2 micrograms per day. Ethylene oxide is listed in prop 65 as it is… Read More »Amendment to Ethylene Oxide No Significant Risk Level (NSRL)

Ukraine has been attempting to harmonize its chemical policy with EU REACH ever since it applied to become a member of the EU in June of last year. The nation published a law on chemical safety and the management of chemical products in December of… Read More »Ukraine has aligned its chemical policy with that of the EU

Covering packaging, fillers, and auxiliary materials On April 11, 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation and China’s Standardisation Administration jointly notified the World Trade Organisation of the draft mandatory national standard (GB) “Limits of heavy metals and other harmful substances in express delivery packaging” and… Read More »China draft GB on limits of chemical substances in packaging for express delivery

On April 20, 2023, three new hazard classifications for classifying, labelling, and packaging (CLP) substances and mixtures go into effect. ECHA has published information regarding the application deadlines and related guidance.  The European Commission has updated the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation with the following… Read More »ECHA provides advice on new hazard classes for substances and mixtures