China Updates IECSC to Strengthen Chemical Substance Oversight

China has continued to expand its Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (IECSC) as part of efforts to tighten environmental controls and streamline chemical management. The IECSC, managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), is central to China’s chemical regulatory system—similar in scope to the EU’s REACH regulation.

IECSC Structure and Access

Established in 2013, the IECSC comprises:

• Public Section:

o Includes 45,612 substances (as of initial release)
o Freely searchable via tools like CIRS ChemRadar

• Confidential Section:

o Contains 3,270 substances
o Substances are listed by category, with no CAS numbers or structures
o Formal inquiries to MEE-SCC are required for confirmation (fee: 3,000 RMB / ~$430)

Recent Updates to the Inventory

China continues to update the IECSC regularly. Notable additions include:

📅 Dec 18, 2023: 29 substances added
📅 May 20, 2024: 41 substances added
📅 Nov 25, 2024: 36 substances added
📅 May 6, 2025: 44 substances added; permitted uses of two substances revised

These updates support China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which emphasizes enhanced environmental risk management of chemicals.

Registration and Compliance Requirements

Under MEE Order No. 12, substances not listed in the IECSC are considered new and must be registered prior to import or manufacture.

Registration types are based on annual volume:

• Record: ≤1 ton/year
• Simplified Registration: >1–10 tons/year
• Regular Registration: >10 tons/year

If an existing substance is used for a new purpose, a new use registration is required.

Tools for Industry

• ChemRadar: Free tool to verify public IECSC listings
• APCISS: Cross-regional inventory search (by CAS or English name)

The expansion of the IECSC reflects China’s commitment to stricter chemical safety and transparency. Businesses must stay informed on updates and ensure pre-market registration compliance to avoid regulatory risk.

Reference: CIRS Group – IECSC