Chinese SDS and Labeling Services

As an international agreement GHS is non-legally binding in the member countries of United Nations.  Thus many countries and regions have published their own regulations or standards to implement GHS. For example, the GHS criteria were introduced into Europe via the Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on the Classification, Labeling and Packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP).

China is one of many countries that have agreed to implement GHS. Chinese government has published several compulsory national standards (starting with GB) and recommended national standards (starting with GB/T).

Companies selling chemicals to China and chemical companies in China are required to adopt these standards to classify, label and package chemicals as well as prepare safety data sheets in accordance with the requirements of GHS as from 1 May 2011.

Regulations - Who is requiring SDS and Label in China

In China, the overarching regulation governing GHS and SDS is State Council Decree No. 591- Regulations on Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals (2011).

Under Articles 15 and 37 of Decree 591, companies involved in the production, import, storage, use, sales, marketing and transportation of hazardous chemicals are required to obtain and maintain SDS and safety labels for their chemical products. Penalties for non-compliance, are covered under Article 78, and are composed by the competent authority.

Regulations that govern hazardous chemicals registration (SAWS Order 53) and new substance notification (MEP Order 7/Article 10) also require that Chinese SDS and Labels should be submitted along with registration/licensing applications.

Under the Ministry of Transportation Decree No.2 (2013) Article 32, SDS and Labels are required for all dangerous good in China. According to the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) Announcement No. 30 (2012), Chinese Label and sample SDS are required for imported chemicals, whilst for export, SDS, Label and equivalent Chinese translations are required.

National standards - How to compose Chinese SDS and Label

There are several national standards concerning both GHS and the preparation of SDS and Labels in China. GB 13690-2009 - General rule for classification and hazard communication of chemicals, is in line with the GHS. It is due to be replaced by GB 30000.1 - 2013 soon, although it is not known when the standard will come into force.

For classifcation, the most recently released standard series are GB 30000.2-2013 to GB 30000.29 - 2013. They comprise 28 separate standards each referring to a particular GHS hazard. The standards were authored based on the 4 rev. edition of the UN purple book and became effective from 1 November 2014. All hazard classes and categories in the purple book were adopted in the Chinese classification standards.

The mandatory basic element of a Chiense safety label and printing requirements are given in the GB 15258-2009 - General rules for preparation of precautionary label for chemicals, which came into force on 1 May 2010.

Classification

16 Oct 2013, the Standardization Administration of the People`s Republic of China (SAC) published 28 new GHS classification standards for chemicals and the implementation date is 1 November 2014. The new compulsory national standards (GB 30000-2013) for chemical classifications are fully aligned with UN GHS Rev. 4 and have adopted all building blocks under UN GHS Rev. 4 including aspiration hazards and hazards to the ozone layer.

Please click here, for Building Blocks differences among UN GHS (rev.5), EU CLP, US HCS and China GHS.