The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines recently issued a significant administrative order, pursuant to the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, DENR Administrative Order No. 29 Series of 1992, and EMB Memorandum Circular 2014-001. This order incorporates 81 new chemicals into the Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances (PICCS), bringing the total number of chemicals listed from 22,438 to 22,519.
PICCS
PICCS is the key chemical information database of the Philippines, managed by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) under the DENR. First published in 1995, it continues to be updated and serves to:
- Provide authoritative reference for the government, industry, and public: Clearly specifying all existing chemicals that are legally used, imported, distributed, processed, manufactured, stored, exported, treated, or transported within the Philippines.
- Guide compliant operations for enterprises: For manufacturers and importers, the PICCS is a critical guidance tool. If the chemical intended for manufacture or import is already listed in the PICCS and not included in the Priority Chemical List (PCL) requiring stringent control, nor subject to Chemical Control Orders (CCO), enterprises do not need to notify or apply for a permit from DENR-EMB.
- Regulate the entry of new chemicals: Chemicals not listed in the PICCS are in principle prohibited from being manufactured or imported in the Philippines unless the company undergoes a complete Pre-Manufacture and Pre-Importation Notification (PMPIN) assessment process and obtains approval. The 81 new chemicals added were successfully included through the PMPIN process submitted in 2024.
Update Process and Effectiveness
According to regulations, for importers and manufacturers who submitted a start-up notice by December 31 of the current year, their related chemicals will be included in the next year's PICCS update list.
The administrative order will officially take effect after the following conditions are met:
- 15 days after publication in a nationally circulated newspaper.
- Confirmation by the National Administrative Register Office (ONAR) of receipt of a copy of the order.
This update to the PICCS list reflects the Philippines' ongoing efforts to strengthen the regulation of chemicals in domestic circulation, ensuring that industrial development is balanced with environmental protection and public health safety. The regular expansion of the list also provides clearer compliance guidance for the related industries.
Further Information
