The Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (the amended K-REACH) officially took effect from 1 Jan. 2019, the amended K-REACH required any company who intends to manufacture or import a new chemical substance or an existing chemical substance above 1ton per year shall register the chemical substance before the company manufactures or imports the substance.
Back ground of K-REACH and the amendments:
K-REACH regulation regarded as a REACH-style regulation was originally enforced on 1 Jan., 2015. Korea’s Ministry of Environment then starts the proposed amendments to K-REACH regulation from late year 2016.
There are more concepts under EU-REACH were adopted by the amended K-REACH like the pre-registration system is introduced in the amended K-REACH has now officially enforced on 1 Jan., 2019.
Amended K-REACH regulation requires:
- For all existing chemical substance ≥1t/y, companies shall conduct the pre-registration between 1 Jan 2019 and 30 Jun 2019;
- For all new chemical substance <1t/y, companies shall conduct the Notification before manufacture/import.
- For all new chemical substance≥0.1t/y, and existing chemical substance ≥1t/y, companies shall register their chemicals before manufacture/import.
- Companies shall notify products containing Priority Management Chemicals.
Korea Existing Chemical Inventory (KECI)
For all chemical substances that are listed on Korea Existing Chemicals Inventory (KECI) are regarded as existing chemical in Korea, the KECI list contains two sub-lists in below:
- 37,088 Chemical substances which were distributed in South Korea for commercial purposes before 2nd February, 1991;
- 3,790 Chemical substances announced by the Minister of Environment because hazard reviews have been conducted pursuant to the former Toxic Chemicals Control Act after 2nd February, 1991
Companies can check their chemical status through Korea National Chemicals Information System (NCIS) by inputting the chemical substance name or CAS number. http://ncis.nier.go.kr/en/main.do
K-REACH registration stakeholder
Only Korean manufacturers and importers are obligated to register chemical substances under K-REACH. All foreign manufacturers can only appoint Korea-based only representatives (representative letter is required) to submit chemical registrations on their behalf.
K-REACH Registration deadline
Substance tonnage type | Registration deadlines |
PECs joint registration for
510 designated existing substances |
2018/6/30 |
1-10t/a exist chemicals | 2030/12/31 |
10-100t/a exist chemicals | 2027/12/31 |
100-1000t/a exist chemicals | 2024/12/31 |
≥1000t/a exist chemicals
>1t CMR |
2021/12/31 |
*Severe Penalty clauses were given in the decree to those who fail to comply with K-REACH registration obligations.