On 26 June 2026, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) issued a notice releasing the final conclusions of 11 evaluation statements, covering potential risks to human health and the environment from the use of certain industrial chemicals listed on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AIIC) (plus one chemical not listed on the inventory). AICIS also updated the status of these evaluations under the Rolling Action Plan. Companies that introduce, manufacture or use the relevant chemicals should take note of the final conclusions, in particular the substances for which changes to inventory statements or recommendations to regulatory agencies are proposed.
These evaluations were made by the AICIS Executive Director under section 78 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019. The draft evaluation statements were open for public comment from 1 April to 28 May 2026. The 11 evaluations and their final conclusions are as follows:
| Evaluation ID | Subject of evaluation | Public comment received | Public consultation outcome | Evaluation outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVA00176 | Phenol, 4,4'-thiobis[2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-5-methyl- | Yes – Exposure information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. The evaluation statement has been amended to include Australian use information. | Recommendation to regulatory body (workers); Information relating to safe introduction and use |
| EVA00186 | Retinal (Retinaldehyde) | Yes – General comment, exposure information, hazard information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. The evaluation statement has been amended to incorporate additional hazard information. The new information did not result in a change to the hazard classification recommendation. | Recommendation to regulatory body (workers) |
| EVA00187 | Retinol and retinol esters | Yes – General comment, exposure information, hazard information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. The evaluation statement has been amended to incorporate additional hazard information. The new information did not result in a change to the recommendations. |
Proposal to vary terms of the Inventory; Recommendation to regulatory body (public health); Recommendation to regulatory body (workers); Information relating to safe introduction and use |
| EVA00191 | Ethanone, 1-phenyl- (Acetophenone) | Yes – Hazard information | A variation to the evaluation statement was not required, as the relevant hazard information had already been fully considered and supported the existing hazard classification recommendation. Hence, there has been no change to the hazard classification recommendation. | Recommendation to regulatory body (public health); Recommendation to regulatory body (workers); Information relating to safe introduction and use |
| EVA00193 | 2-Pyrrolidinone | No | Not applicable. | Proposal to vary terms of the inventory; Recommendation to regulatory body (workers); Information relating to safe introduction and use |
| EVA00194 | Chemicals that are unlikely to require further regulation to manage risks to human health. | Yes – Exposure information | A variation to the evaluation statement was not required. The use information provided does not indicate higher exposure compared with exposure information already considered. | No new means of managing risk are proposed |
| EVA00195 | Alkyl and alkenyl betaines and amido betaines | Yes – Exposure information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. The evaluation statement has been amended to include Australian use information. | No new means of managing risk are proposed |
| EVA00196 | Alcohol ethoxysulfates | Yes – Exposure information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. The evaluation statement has been amended to include Australian use information. | No new means of managing risk are proposed |
| EVA00198 | Methylene-bridged bisphenols | Yes – General comment, exposure information | A variation to the evaluation statement was required. Upon review of the information provided, it was concluded that the recommended GHS classification for the Aquatic Chronic 4 (H413) for the chemicals in this group was no longer warranted due to reinterpretation of the solubility limit for 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methylphenol] (DBMC). | No new means of managing risk are proposed |
| EVA00201 | Methanone, [1,1'-biphenyl]-4-ylphenyl- (4-Phenylbenzophenone) | No | Not applicable. | Proposal to vary terms of the Inventory; Recommendation to regulatory body (workers); Recommendation to regulatory body (food); Information relating to safe introduction and use |
| EVA00202 | 2-Propenoic acid, 2-cyano-3,3-diphenyl-, 2-ethylhexyl ester (Octocrylene) | No | Not applicable. | No new means of managing risk are proposed |
Based on the final conclusions, the 11 evaluations can be broadly grouped into two categories according to whether further regulatory action is required:
- Requiring further regulatory action (6 evaluations): These involve proposed changes to inventory statements, or recommendations to relevant regulatory agencies (responsible for worker health, public health, food safety, etc.) on risk management, together with information on safe introduction and use. The substances in this category include retinal, retinol and retinyl esters, acetophenone, 2-pyrrolidone, 4-phenylbenzophenone, and 4,4'-thiobis[2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-5-methylphenol].
- No new risk management measures proposed (5 evaluations): Assessed as not requiring additional controls. The relevant substances include alcohol ether sulfates, alkyl and alkenyl betaines and amidobetaines, methylene-bridged bisphenols, octocrylene, and a group of chemicals unlikely to require further regulation to manage human health risks.
The chemicals covered by this evaluation are used in a diverse range of applications. They include raw materials or ingredients commonly used in cosmetics, personal care and detergents, such as retinol, retinal, octocrylene, alcohol ether sulfates and betaines, as well as chemicals more typically used in industrial synthesis, solvents or materials applications, such as acetophenone, 2-pyrrolidone, methylene-bridged bisphenols (e.g., DBMC) and 4-phenylbenzophenone. Companies introducing or manufacturing the relevant substances are advised to cross-check their product portfolios against the table above, with particular attention to those for which changes to inventory statements or risk management recommendations are proposed.
ChemRadar Insights
The 11 evaluation statements published this time represent the latest results of AICIS's ongoing industrial chemical risk screening under the Rolling Action Plan. For substances involving proposed changes to inventory statements and recommendations to regulatory agencies on risk management, companies should closely follow the subsequent progress of inventory statement revisions and the implementation of accompanying regulatory measures (such as GHS classification, SDS and labelling, and occupational health protection), and assess in advance the impact on their product introduction and compliance strategies. For substances concluded as no new risk management measures proposed, companies should also obtain the latest evaluation statements in a timely manner as a basis for safe introduction and use. Companies are advised to verify whether their product portfolios cover the chemicals involved in this evaluation and to monitor AICIS's subsequent activities under the Rolling Action Plan.
