These 20 chemicals require special attention from pesticide manufacturers.

On June 12, the website of the Ministry of Emergency Management published the “Catalogue of Particularly Controlled Hazardous Chemicals (First Edition),” which lists 20 hazardous chemicals. …

There are four explosive chemicals, namely: ammonium nitrate (excluding passivated or modified ammonium nitrate), nitrocellulose (including nitrocellulose classified as a flammable solid), potassium chlorate, and sodium chlorate.

There are six toxic chemicals, namely: chlorine, ammonia, methyl isocyanate, dimethyl sulfate, sodium cyanide, and potassium cyanide.

There are five flammable gases, namely: liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, ethylene oxide, vinyl chloride, and dimethyl ether.

There are five flammable liquids, namely: gasoline (including methanol‑gasoline and ethanol‑gasoline), 1,2‑propylene oxide, carbon disulfide, methanol, and ethanol.

The “Catalogue” also specifies a series of relevant control measures, including the establishment of an information platform, the implementation of full‑life‑cycle information traceability and oversight, the adoption of unified and standardized packaging management, stringent access requirements for safe production, enhanced transportation management, and the implementation of fixed‑location storage management, among others.

It is worth noting that the regulatory measures for methanol and ethanol, which have drawn industry attention, are limited to strengthening transportation management.

Specifically controlled hazardous chemicals are those that inherently pose a high level of risk, carry significant safety risks in the event of an accident, may result in severe consequences, and are widely circulated, thus requiring special regulatory measures.

The “Catalogue” was drafted by the Ministry of Emergency Management in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Transport, and other relevant departments.

Control Measures

For hazardous chemicals listed in the “Catalogue of Particularly Controlled Hazardous Chemicals (First Edition),” and taking into account the key stages at which safety risks arise, and subject to compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to economically and technically feasible conditions, the following control measures should be studied and implemented to minimize safety risks and effectively prevent and curb serious and extremely serious accidents.

I. Build an information platform and implement full-lifecycle information traceability and control.

Promote the development of a national information-sharing platform for the regulation of hazardous chemicals, and establish a full‑life‑cycle traceability and regulatory system covering all stages—from production, storage, and use to the logistics, transportation, and import/export of finished products. Enhance information‑sharing mechanisms to ensure that regulatory data from relevant departments is updated in real time and dynamically. Explore the application of QR codes or electronic tags on product packaging, as well as on intermediate bulk containers, large containers, portable tank containers, and tank trucks, leveraging modern information technologies such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and big data to progressively achieve end-to-end tracking, real-time monitoring, and full‑life‑cycle traceability of specially regulated hazardous chemicals.

II. Research on Standardized Packaging Management

Strengthen communication and coordination with relevant departments to advance the development of technical requirements governing the classification, protective materials, and labeling of packaging for specially controlled hazardous chemicals, as well as the design, manufacture, testing methods, inspection rules, labeling, packaging standards, and usage guidelines for intermediate bulk containers, large containers, portable tank containers, and tank trucks. Furthermore, promote the implementation of packaging performance inspections and packaging‑use certifications for dangerous goods involving specially controlled hazardous chemicals.

III. Strict Admission Standards for Production Safety

Construction projects involving specially controlled hazardous chemicals shall be subject to stringent review and approval, with rigorous requirements for the qualifications of personnel. Projects that fail to comply with laws, regulations, standards, or industrial‑layout plans related to workplace safety will be categorically denied approval. Conversely, projects that meet all applicable legal, regulatory, and planning requirements will be approved in accordance with the law and relevant provisions, thereby avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.

IV. Strengthening Transportation Management

Establish and rigorously enforce systems for inspection, approval, and record-keeping at the filling and dispatch stages; strengthen management of transport vehicle routes and trajectories, satellite positioning, and transport personnel; and eliminate illegal transportation activities at the source to reduce safety risks. Leverage dynamic monitoring of road‑transport vehicles carrying hazardous materials to enhance online surveillance and early warning of operational trajectories, speeding, fatigued driving, and other violations involving vehicles transporting specially controlled hazardous chemicals. Accelerate the implementation of electronic waybill management for the road and rail transport of hazardous goods, with a particular focus on tracking the movement of specially controlled hazardous chemicals.

5. Implement standardized storage and location management.

Relevant entities (excluding ports and schools) shall designate specific areas, warehouse compartments, or fixed storage tanks within dedicated hazardous chemical warehouses for the storage of specially controlled hazardous chemicals, thereby enhancing management standards, optimizing inventory and turnover levels, strengthening refined management practices, and achieving standardized, fixed-location management of such chemicals. With respect to the storage of dangerous goods at ports, port operators handling dangerous goods must store specially controlled hazardous chemicals in dedicated warehouses, storage yards, or storage tanks, strictly enforce isolation measures in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards, establish operational information systems to record in real time the type, quantity, and consignor information of these chemicals, and maintain off-site backups.

VI. Other Requirements

Specially controlled hazardous chemicals transported by water, air, rail, or pipeline shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, and the provisions of the competent authorities.

With respect to control measures for specially regulated hazardous chemicals, where laws, administrative regulations, or rules provide otherwise, such provisions shall prevail.

Reagent products essential for scientific experiments are temporarily excluded from the scope of this catalog; however, relevant entities may, based on actual needs in talent development and scientific research as well as identified risks, implement measures to strengthen their management. In accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Urban Gas, urban gas is not subject to this catalog or the special control measures.

Source: China Chemical Industry News