Recently, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly released the latest version of Japan's recommended Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) classification list on the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) website.

No.1 amendment to "Requirements of Concentration Limits for Certain Restricted Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" will officially come into effect on January 1, 2026.

On June 24, 2024, the UK's CLP authority, HSE, announced that it has granted legal effect to 88 chemical substances listed in the UK's Mandatory Classification and Labelling (GB MCL) list. This update took effect immediately upon its release and complies with regulations. The updates are based on the 14th and 15th Adaptations to Technical Progress (ATP), which update the CLP Regulation, issued by the European Commission.

New Environmental Monitoring Requirements have been established, and the scope and obligations of the review have been clarified.

On May 13, 2024, the European Commission, guided by EU Regulation No. 528/2012 and Directive No. 98/8/EC, extended the expiry date of the active substance cis-tricos-9-ene (CAS No.: 27519-02-4) for use in biocidal products of product-type 19 until March 31, 2027. This extension takes effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a consultation on an application submitted by its Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (CTACSub 2) for the authorization of Chromium trioxide (EC 215-607-8, CAS 1333-82-0). This application covers twelve specific uses across three categories: mixture formulation, functional chrome plating on components, and surface treatments in aerospace and other industries.

On May 20, 2024, China's Ministry of Ecological Environment (MEE) announced the addition of a batch of 34 registered substances that fulfill the requirements of existing substances into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China (IECSC). CIRS warmly reminds you that related enterprises must make sure whether their substances are existing substances. The Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12) require enterprises to complete new substance registration/record before manufacturing or importing, or they may face various punishments.

On May 20, 2024, China's Ministry of Ecological Environment (MEE) announced the addition of a batch of 7 registered substances that fulfill the requirements of existing substances into the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China (IECSC). CIRS warmly reminds you that related enterprises must make sure whether their substances are existing substances. The Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12) require enterprises to complete new substance registration/record before manufacturing or importing, or they may face various punishments.

On May 20, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) amended the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to align with the 7th Revised Edition of the UN's Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The amendment includes elements from the 8th Revised Edition of the GHS and retains certain U.S.-specific requirements. The regulation takes effect on July 19, 2024, with compliance required by January 19, 2026, and for mixtures by July 19, 2027.

On April 15, 2024, Germany, as one of the five initiating countries of the European Union's proposal to restrict perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (the other four countries include the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway), updated its assessment report based on the numerous comments collected during the six-month public consultation phase from March 22, 2023, to September 25, 2023. The assessment work was conducted by the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)