On November 10, 2026, the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) of Taiwan, China issued an amended announcement (Huan-Pu-Hsun-Tzu No. 1156122526), replacing the legal basis of the "Restrictions on the Import of Detergents Containing Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Polyethylene Glycol Ether" announcement (established on June 4, 2025) from Article 21 of the Waste Disposal Act to Paragraph 2, Article 18 of the Resource Circulation Promotion Act, with effect from the date of promulgation. This amendment merely replaces the legal authorization basis: the controlled targets and substantive content remain unchanged, and the actual compliance requirements for enterprises exporting detergents to Taiwan, China are unaffected.
Amendment Background: Aligning with the Amendment and Renaming of the Superior Laws
This change of legal basis stems from the amendments of two environmental laws in Taiwan, China: the Resource Recycling and Reuse Act was amended and promulgated on June 17, 2026, and renamed as the Resource Circulation Promotion Act, and the Waste Disposal Act was amended and promulgated on July 15, 2026. On this basis, the MOENV pre-announced the draft amendment on September 18, 2026. According to the "Explanations on Other Matters" in the announcement attachment, no major changes were made to the draft during the pre-announcement period, and no comments involving article-level revisions were raised by any party.
Article 18 of the Resource Circulation Promotion Act provides that for articles, or their packaging and containers, that excessively consume energy and resources, contain ingredients that are not easily decomposed over the long term, contain hazardous substances, are difficult to recycle or may interfere with the recycling system, or may cause serious environmental pollution, the central competent authority may prohibit or restrict their manufacture, import, sale, and use. Paragraph 2, Article 18 authorizes the central competent authority to prescribe, by means of announcement, the matters to be complied with, such as the methods and scope of the prohibitions and restrictions.
Unchanged Controls: Phased Import Ban and Exception Approval
After this amendment, the detergent definition, the phased import ban, and the exception approval requirements set out in the original announcement all remain unchanged, as follows:
- Detergent definition: It refers to any product containing soap or surfactant ingredients used in washing or cleaning processes, including liquid, powder, paste, and other forms.
- Phased import ban: From December 1, 2026, the import of detergents containing nonylphenol (NP) or nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ether (NPEO, also known as nonylphenol ethoxylate) at a concentration of 5% (by weight) or above will be prohibited; detergents with a concentration of 0.1% or above but below 5% will be prohibited from import from June 1, 2027.
- Exception approval: Where imports are necessary for the protection of the public and for military purposes, or where no suitable substitutes are available and the detergents are used in controlled systems, production processes, or pollution control equipment and can be fully recycled, incinerated, or removed from wastewater, applicants shall submit supporting documents, and the imports may proceed only after review and approval by the Ministry of Environment (the central competent authority).
ChemRadar Insights
For manufacturers and exporters of detergents shipped to Taiwan, China, ChemRadar recommends paying attention to the following:
- This amendment only replaces the legal authorization basis; the control scope, the ban schedule, and the exception approval procedure are all unchanged. Enterprises do not need to adjust their existing compliance arrangements, nor should they misread this as a relaxation of controls.
- Pay close attention to the two ban effective dates: from December 1, 2026, the import of detergents containing NP or NPEO at concentrations of 5% or above will be prohibited, and from June 1, 2027, the ban will extend to products with concentrations of 0.1% or above but below 5%. Enterprises concerned are advised to verify the NP/NPEO content of the surfactant ingredients in their detergent formulas for export to Taiwan, China as soon as possible and allow sufficient time for testing and declaration.
- If products indeed need to be imported into Taiwan, China after the ban takes effect, supporting documents should be prepared in advance, and exception approval should be applied for from the Ministry of Environment of Taiwan, China; products without approval will be prohibited from import.
