Recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), updated its classification list of carcinogens in the IARC Monographs, the authoritative reference for the agency's assessment of human cancer risks.

As of July 2026, IARC has systematically evaluated the various agents covered in Volumes 1&ndash;142 of the Monographs. The carcinogen classifications are as follows:
——Classification: Group 1
Definition: Carcinogenic to humans
Number of Agents: 135
——Classification: Group 2A
Definition: Probably carcinogenic to humans
Number of Agents: 98
——Classification: Group 2B
Definition: Possibly carcinogenic to humans
Number of Agents: 329
——Classification: Group 3
Definition: Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans
Number of Agents: 498

Update the IARC Carcinogen List to the July 2026 Latest Version!

Recently, the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, formerly the Ministry of Environment), pursuant to Article 42 (Disclosure of Chemical Substance Information) of the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) and Article 51 (Disclosure of Chemical Substance Information, Etc.) of its Enforcement Rule, updated and released the pre-registration (sajeon-singo) results list for existing chemical substances for the second quarter of 2026 (data as of June 30, 2026).

According to the list, as of June 30, 2026, a total of 17,723 existing chemical substances (counted by KE No., the Korea Existing Chemicals Inventory number) hold valid pre-registration records. The disclosed information covers company-reported manufacture/import tonnage bands, CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction) status, and consumer-use status, among other items.

The tonnage band distribution is as follows:
1–10 t/year: 6,877 substances
10–100 t/year: 6,883 substances
100–1,000 t/year: 2,442 substances
≥1,000 t/year: 1,521 substances

Under K-REACH, existing chemical substances manufactured or imported in quantities of ≥1 tonne per year are subject to pre-registration, and must subsequently complete formal registration in phases, with deadlines determined by their tonnage band.

57 substances were added to the K-REACH Pre-registration List

Thailand List of Controlled Military Material, issued by the Ministry of Defence of Thailand on January 10, 2008, in the Royal Gazette, was established under the Arms Control Act B.E. 2530 (1987) to regulate the types of military supplies subject to approval. The list primarily covers the following four categories of controlled materials:
1. Weapons, Ammunition, and Related Equipment: Including various weapons, ammunition, and explosives; combat vehicles and aircraft; military equipment; and nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protective equipment.
2. Chemical Warfare Agents and Their Precursors: Strictly following the schedules annexed to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), toxic chemicals and their key precursors are listed for control. Specifically, these include nerve agents (sarin, soman, VX), blister agents (mustard gas, nitrogen mustard, lewisite), biological toxins (ricin, saxitoxin), and key precursors (DF, QL, etc.).
3. Precursor Chemicals for Explosives Manufacturing: A total of 178 items. These cover strong oxidizers such as ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and potassium perchlorate, as well as organic/inorganic chemicals including acetone, benzene, and guanidine nitrate, aimed at preventing their illegal use in explosives production.
4. Various Finished Explosives: Detailed listing of 55 specific high explosives, such as amatol, ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO), C-4 plastic explosive, RDX (cyclonite), HMX (octogen), PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), TNT (trinitrotoluene), and their derivatives (nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, lead azide, etc.).
The ordering, importation, manufacture, and possession of these materials require a permit from the Ministry of Defence of Thailand, with exceptions for specific organizations such as Thai government agencies and the Red Cross. The list explicitly stipulates that substances with the same properties, chemical structure, or composition, even if under different names, are likewise deemed controlled items.

Thailand List of Controlled Military Material

Recently, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Republic of Korea issued Public Notice No. 2026-103, partially amending the Public Notice on Existing Chemical Substances, which entered into force on the date of its promulgation. This amendment clarifies the criteria for the identification of existing chemical substances:

——Pursuant to Article 2(3)(a) of the Act on Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals (hereinafter referred to as the "K-REACH Act"), chemical substances that were circulated in the Republic of Korea prior to 2 February 1991 are classified as existing chemical substances (Annex 1).
——Pursuant to Article 2(3)(b) of the K-REACH Act, chemical substances that have undergone hazard review under the former Toxic Chemicals Control Act are deemed existing chemical substances (Annex 2); in addition, any chemical substance that has completed hazard review and has been publicly notified as a toxic chemical substance under the former Act shall also be deemed an existing chemical substance.
——The following four categories of substances shall be deemed existing chemical substances:
1. Hydrates or anhydrides of existing chemical substances;
2. Reaction products composed of two or more components, all of which are existing chemical substances, where the separation of each component within the reaction product is technically difficult and the reaction product itself is circulated or handled on the market;
3. Constituent isomers of a multi-constituent substance publicly notified as an existing chemical substance;
4. Other chemical substances falling under Annex 3. 

Notably, this amendment establishes for the first time a periodic review mechanism. Pursuant to Article 4, the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment shall review the appropriateness of this Public Notice every three years from the baseline date of 1 July 2026 (by 30 June of every third year), and take measures for improvement, among others. This mechanism is designed to ensure that chemical substance management policies keep pace with the times and adapt to evolving scientific understanding and industrial needs.

Update the Korea Existing Chemicals List (KECL)-Announcement No. 2026

Brazil List of Controlled Chemicals (Portaria MJSP No. 204/2022) was issued by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) on October 21, 2022, replacing Portaria No. 240/2019. It regulates the Federal Police's control over precursor chemicals that can be used in the illicit manufacture of drugs. The list classifies 145 controlled chemicals into seven control categories (Lista I through Lista VII), including drug precursors, solvents, controlled pharmaceuticals, acids, bases, reagents, and other controlled chemicals. Any individual or entity engaged in the production, import, export, transportation, storage, sale, or use of controlled chemicals must obtain authorization from the Brazilian Federal Police and comply with strict record-keeping, transaction reporting, and secure storage requirements. Export of Lista VII substances to Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru requires additional approval. The list also specifies minimum control concentrations and quantity thresholds for different categories of chemicals; for example, Lista IV acids are controlled from a concentration of 10% upwards, while Lista II solvents are controlled at any concentration.

Brazil List of Controlled Chemicals

Recently, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan announced that, as per the provisions of the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA), 169 chemical substances published on June 26, 2026, have been added to the Japan ISHA-Newly Announced Chemical Substances. These newly added chemicals primarily include substances known to be used in the workplace and potentially impacting worker health.
The update from the Ministry provides detailed information including the names of the chemicals, official gazette numbers, CAS numbers, chemical structural formulas, and classification codes, enabling businesses and research institutions to more accurately identify and manage these substances.

169 substances were added to the Japan ISHA-Newly Announced Chemical Substances

On June 17, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) issued an update notice to revise the name of Substance No. 1667 (MITI No.: 7-4025) in the list of newly notified chemical substances published on or after April 1, 2011.

Revision to the Name of One Newly Notified Chemical Substance (notified by April 1,2011) under Japan CSCL

On June 17, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has released an update notice that includes a CAS number to the list of newly announced chemical substances prior to March 31, 2011, with the number of substance groups remaining unchanged (7,413).

A CAS number was added to the Japan CSCL Newly Announced Chemical Substances (notified by March 31,2011)

On June 17, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) issued an update notice, adding 40 confirmed corresponding CAS numbers to the list of (Canceled) Priority Assessment Chemical Substances under Japan’s Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL).

40 CAS numbers were added to Japan CSCL (Canceled) Priority Assessment Chemical Substances

On June 17, 2026, the Ministerial Ordinance Specifying Chemicals Based on the Enforcement Order of the Chemical Substances Control Law, jointly issued by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Ministry of the Environment, officially entered into force.
This revision updates the List of Class I Specified Chemical Substances under Japan’s CSCL, with the adjustments detailed below:
1. Entries 37, 38 and 39 in the original list are renumbered sequentially to Entries 38, 39 and 40 respectively.
2. A new dedicated Entry 37 is added to regulate perfluorohexane-1-sulfonic acid-related compounds. This entry covers a total of 117 controlled chemical substances corresponding to 121 CAS Registry Numbers.

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