The Ministry of Environment of South Korea recently submitted a notification to the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the revision of the Designation of Restricted Substance and Prohibited Substance. This revision aims to strengthen the restrictions on the use of lead and its compounds as well as methylene chloride and its mixtures, based on the hazard assessment under the Chemical Substances Registration and Evaluation Act and international regulatory trends, to protect human health and safety. WTO member countries can comment on this revision before January 13, 2025.

In 2018, the EU's RoHS Directive assessment project Pack15 proposed adding seven substances, including TBBP-A and MCCPs, to the RoHS Directive's restricted list. On December 10, 2024, the EU abandoned its plan to restrict Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) under the RoHS Directive.

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has fully added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to its Substances of Very High Concern (ZZS) list. This action emphasizes the need for Dutch companies to significantly reduce PFAS use and emissions.

This article compiles the chemical regulation updates for November in Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

The UA CLP will come into effect six months after its publication, on November 15 2024. Products that have been placed on the market before November 15, 2024, even if they do not comply with current technical regulations, can continue to maintain their status until November 14, 2025, which is a one-year transition period.

On November 11, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan jointly announced the implementation of new notification procedures for low volume and small volume new chemical substances starting in 2025.

On November 12, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to exempt the compound (Z)-1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HCFO-1224yd(Z), CAS number 111512-60-8) from being classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC) due to its minimal impact on tropospheric ozone formation. Public comments are welcome via https://www.regulations.gov/ until January 13, 2025.

The implementation of the Ukrainian REACH regulations marks an important step for Ukraine in aligning with EU chemical safety standards and also presents new compliance challenges for businesses. Companies need to closely monitor regulatory developments, take proactive measures, and ensure registration is completed within the specified timeframes to maintain trade activities in the Ukrainian market.

On November 15, 2024, Brazilian Chemical Management Law No. 15. 022 (also known as Brazil REACH) officially came into effect, marking a significant step forward in the field of chemical regulations in Brazil. According to the provisions of this regulation, manufacturers and importers must complete registration in a newly established registration system for non-exempt chemicals with an annual production or import volume exceeding one ton, with the aim to prioritize the identification and focus on chemicals, conduct risk assessments, and ultimately implement risk management measures.

Singapore will officially transition from the 4th revised edition of the UN GHS to the 7th Revised Edition on February 6, 2025. Authorities announced revisions to the "Singapore Standards on Hazard Communication for Hazardous Chemicals and Dangerous Goods," SS 586-2: 2022 and SS 586-3: 2022 revisions, on February 6, 2023. They provided a two-year transition period. SS 586-2 pertains to the implementation of GHS classification and labeling in Singapore, while SS 586-3 sets out some requirements for the preparation of SDSs.