South Korea Updates Toxic Substances List - Regulatory News - Chemicals

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On April 25, 2023, South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) published a public consultation updating the toxic substances list (Notice No. 2023-26). This Notice shall enter into force three months after its publication.

In accordance with the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (known as K-REACH), competent authorities shall conduct hazard reviews and hazard assessments of substances that have completed registration. Classifications will be made based on the review results. If a substance is classified as a toxic substance, NIER will include it in the toxic substances list and publish a notice.

Six toxic substances have been added. Details are as follows:

Substance number	Name of substances and content specifications
2023-1-1110	[3,5-Difluorophenol;2713-34-0] and mixtures containing 5% or above of the substance.
2023-1-1111	[Tetrahydro-3-methylthiophene 1,1-dioxide; 872-93-5] and mixtures containing 25% or above of the substance.
2023-1-1112	[1,1,1-Trifluoro-N-[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]methanesulfonamide, cesium salt (1:1); 91742-16-4] and mixtures containing 25% or above of the substance.
2023-1-1113	[1,1,2-Trichloroethane; 79-00-5] and mixtures containing 25% or above of the substance.
2023-1-1114	[1,5-Diisocyanatopentane homopolymer, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol-blocked;1976005-08-9] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance.
2023-1-1115	[Isononyl phosphate; 84988-61-4] and mixtures of 5% or above.

Seven existing substances are updated. Details are as follows:

Substance number	Name of substances and content specifications
97-1-41	[DMAB; Dimethylamine borane; 74-94-2] and mixtures containing 25% or above of the substance.
97-1-68	[Mercaptoacetic acid; 68-11-1] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance.
97-1-73	[Methacrylonitrile;126-98-7] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance.
97-1-134	[Selenium; 7782-49-2] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance; but mixtures containing 25% below of [Cadmium] sulfoselenide orange;12656-57-4] and [Cadmium sulfoselenide red;58339-34-7] are excluded.
97-1-213	[Phosphorus pentachloride; 10026-13-8] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance.
98-1-480	[Tributylamine; 102-82-9] and mixtures containing 1% or above of the substance.
2014-1-692	[1-Decylpyridinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide; 1702310-11-9] and mixtures containing 25% or above of the substance.

In accordance with the Chemical Control Act (CCA), companies involved with these six substances (including their content specification variations) must comply with the following requirements:

Identify substance information, comply with marking or labeling standards; and report information of imported substances by January 1, 2024;
Submit handling standards of hazardous substances by July 1, 2024;
Obtain sales permit for hazardous substances, prepare and submit chemical accident prevention and management plans by July 1, 2025; and
Comply with hazardous substances handling facilities and management standards by July 1, 2027.

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