China's environment ministry issues new chemical substance registration measures

BEIJING, Oct 24 — China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued the Measures for the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances, signed by Minister Huang Runqiu on Oct 24 and effective on publication, requiring registration before production or import.

Under the measures, new chemical substances produced or imported at 10 tonnes or more a year require regular registration. Volumes from 1 tonne to less than 10 tonnes require simplified registration, and volumes below 1 tonne require a formal registration. The measures define new chemical substances as those not listed in the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China.

The measures say they focus on new chemical substances that may pose greater risks to the environment and health. Technical review may not exceed 60 days for regular registration and 30 days for simplified and formal registration. The ministry approved the measures at its fourth ministerial meeting of 2026 on Oct 15. The new measures repeal earlier measures of the same name issued as MEE Order No. 12.