On August 4, 2026, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued the Notice on Matters Concerning the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances. The Notice states that, to implement the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China and improve the environmental management registration system for new chemical substances, processing of environmental management filings for new chemical substances will cease as of August 15, 2026.
According to the Notice, from August 15, 2026, enterprises that need to process environmental management filing for new chemical substances shall submit to the competent department an application form for the environmental management registration of new chemical substances, together with supporting materials demonstrating that the corresponding circumstances meet the filing requirements under Order No. 12. The competent department will accept and approve the applications by referring to the simplified registration procedures and timelines.
This adjustment is primarily because the Ecological and Environmental Code does not include a filing category for new chemical substances. To align with the Code's entry into force on August 15, the filing category will no longer exist in the future environmental management of new chemical substances.
Currently, the Measures for the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances are under revision, and the public consultation has concluded. The competent department is now reviewing the relevant comments and suggestions received. According to the previous draft for consultation, the revised Measures were planned to take effect on August 15, 2026, in step with the Ecological and Environmental Code. However, based on the wording of this Notice, the revised Measures and the supporting guidance documents may be officially issued and implemented before August 15.
CIRS Group will continue to follow the revision progress and implementation of the new chemical substance regulations, provide clients with professional regulatory interpretation, and offer compliance consulting and optimal solutions for new chemical substances in China.
Please stay tuned to the CIRS Group official website and ChemRadar for professional regulatory analysis and compliance advice. You are also welcome to follow and attend the series of seminars on the revision of the new chemical substance regulations hosted by CIRS Group.
