Before the end of 2011, countries around the world successively updated their local chemical management regulations, setting off a new wave in this seemingly endless battle for environmental sustainability and chemicals.
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recently announced the addition of 33 substances, including 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, to the list of "mutagenic chemicals." This list already included 672 new chemicals and 144 existing chemicals. Chemicals included on this list will be required to undergo on-site inspections, provide occupational safety guidelines, appropriate product labeling, and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) before they can be used.
On December 28, 2011, China's Ministry of Environmental Protection published the "List of Toxic Chemicals Strictly Restricted from Import and Export in China" (2012). Anyone importing or exporting chemicals listed in this list must apply to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for an "Environmental Management Registration Certificate for Imported Toxic Chemicals" and an "Environmental Management Release Notice for Import (Export) of Toxic Chemicals," which came into effect on January 1, 2012.
In late 2011, Norway notified the WTO of an impending ban on the sale and import/export of consumer products containing excessive amounts of lead, pentachlorophenol (PCP), medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) within Norway. This ban was expected to be adopted in the spring of 2012 and take effect on July 1, 2012. However, it is currently known that the ban does not cover food, food packaging, fertilizers, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, vehicles and their permanent fixtures, tires, etc.
Canada’s Chemicals Management Program (CMP) has once again updated the status of approximately 4,300 chemicals in the “Priority Management List.” The goal of this program is to complete the review of this list by 2020 and to regularly update and prioritize the chemicals for management.
Source: Intertek (2012-01-03)
