March 28, 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China jointly released the updated national standards GB 12268-2025 List of Dangerous Goods and GB 6944-2025 Classification and Code of Dangerous Goods, marking a new phase in China’s hazardous materials safety management. These two standards will fully replace the current GB 12268-2012 and GB 6944-2012, with official implementation set for October 1, 2025.

In March 2025, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada jointly announced a proposal to add boric acid, its salts, and precursor substances to Part 2 of Schedule 1 (Toxic Substances List) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). This regulatory action aims to strengthen control over environmental and health risks associated with these substances, following an assessment conducted under Section 68 of CEPA.

The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs decided to implement export controls on certain medium to heavy rare earth-related items.

On February 5, 2025, the South Korean National Assembly officially launched the legislative revision process for the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH), aiming to resolve disputes in the joint submission system for chemical substances and fill legal gaps in the replacement procedures for foreign manufacturers’ designated Only Representatives (OR). The revision, undergoing parliamentary review from February 7 to 21, 2025, marks a critical step in enhancing South Korea’s chemical management framework.

On March 20, 2025, the Chemical Safety Agency under South Korea’s Ministry of Environment released a draft of the Detailed Guidelines for Extended Inspection of Hazardous Chemical Transport Containers, mandating that expired containers undergo rigorous testing before reuse. The policy will take effect immediately upon finalization and undergo triennial reviews (by June 30 every three years) starting July 1, 2025.

After completing K-REACH registration, registrants must fulfill post-registration obligations, including the transmission of chemical substance safety information in the supply chain.

To safeguard the occupational safety of foreign workers, South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL) announced the release of multilingual Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) training materials in 17 languages. Effective immediately, businesses are mandated to use these resources to conduct compulsory safety training for foreign employees handling chemicals.

On March 19, 2025, The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced significant advancements in chemical regulation following the first joint meeting of its Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) in 2025. The committees reached multiple technical consensuses on key issues, including the proposed restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking a new phase in the EU’s chemical regulatory framework.

The Korea Environment Corporation (KECO) announced the initiation of its 2025 Existing Chemical Substances Full-support Program, designed to provide comprehensive assistance for joint registrations of Phase 3 (annual production 10-100 tons) chemical substances.

On February 27, 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Ministry of Justice (MOJ) jointly announced at a press conference that a compliance grace period program under the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) will take effect starting February 28. The policy aims to provide companies that have failed to fulfill chemical management obligations with a rectification window, allowing them to avoid criminal and financial penalties through voluntary reporting.