News Details

On 27 December, 2025 , China's National People's Congress Standing Committee passed the new Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law, which aims to improve safety governance across the full lifecycle of hazardous chemicals. The law will come into force on 1 May 2026. It strengthens risk management, clarifies the responsibilities across government departments, and tightens the requirements for the production, storage, use, transportation, and registration of hazardous chemicals. 

Key Highlights of the New Law 

• Full lifecycle management: covering the production, storage, use, operation, transportation, and registration of hazardous chemicals. 

• Stronger regulatory coordination: multiple government agencies will share responsibilities and information. 

• Clearer compliance obligations for companies including: mandatory safety permits, risk assessments, and emergency planning. 

• Higher requirements for dangerous chemical transport: stricter vehicle controls, route approval, and monitoring. 

• Enhanced public reporting and whistleblower protections with: legal support for reporting hazards and rewarding whistleblowers. 

What the New Law Changes 

• Expanded scope and definitions 
  The law defines hazardous chemicals as substances with toxicity, corrosion, explosiveness, flammability, or oxidizing properties that pose risks to people, facilities, or the environment. It also requires the State Council’s emergency management  authority to coordinate a national catalogue of hazardous chemicals , including periodic updates. 

• Stricter government supervision and unified responsibility 
  The law enforces the principle that “management of industry must include safety,” requiring both enterprises and government departments to take clear responsibilities. It introduces a joint supervision mechanism involving multiple agencies. 

• Mandatory safety permits and approval systems 
  The production, storage, use, and sale of hazardous chemicals now require strict licensing. Key permits include: 

• Hazardous Chemicals Safety Production Permit 

• Hazardous Chemicals Safety Use Permit 

• Hazardous Chemicals Business Permit 

• Highly Toxic Chemicals Purchase Permit 

• Highly Toxic Chemicals Road Transport Pass 

• Enhanced safety for chemical parks and layout planning 
  The law mandates chemical parks (government-approved industrial zones designed for hazardous chemical activities) to undergo safety risk assessments and to establish strict safety control distances from residential areas, schools, hospitals, and water sources. New hazardous chemical projects are generally required to be located within designated chemical parks. 

Regulatory Roles and Responsibilities 

• Emergency Management Department (EMD) 
  Oversees safety supervision, catalogue management, licensing, and emergency response and; also handles registration for hazardous chemicals. 

• Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) 
  Responsible for industrial planning and phasing out outdated processes. 

• Ministry of Public Security (MPS) 
  Manages public safety, the issuance of toxic chemical purchase permits, and transportation route approvals. 

• Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) 
  Handles environmental hazard assessment, new chemical environmental registration, and pollution incident investigations. 

• Ministry of Transport (MOT) 
  Supervises road and water transport safety and licensing; coordinates rail and aviation transport oversight. 

• Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) 
  Integrates hazardous chemical projects into land and spatial planning. 

• National Health Commission (NHC) 
  Manages toxicity assessment and occupational health supervision. 

Corporate Compliance Requirements 

• Full responsibility system 
  Companies producing, storing, using, or trading hazardous chemicals must implement safety management systems, provide employee training, and designate responsible personnel. 

• Risk assessment and safety controls 
  Companies must establish risk classification controls, conduct safety evaluations, and set up monitoring and emergency response systems. 

• Stricter handling of highly toxic chemicals and explosive precursors 
  Entities must track inventory, prevent theft, report losses, and set up security teams with dedicated personnel. 

• Mandatory labeling and safety data 
  Companies must provide Chinese-language safety data sheets and safety labels, updating them immediately when new hazard information becomes available. 

Transport and Logistics Tightened 

• Strict transport licensing and supervision 
  Only licensed carriers may transport hazardous chemicals. Transport vehicles must be equipped with satellite monitoring systems and must not overload. 

• Stricter road and water transport rules 
  Road transport requires route approvals and monitoring of driver working hours. Water transport requires safety certification and emergency planning. 

• Ban on online sales of highly toxic and explosive precursor chemicals 
  The law prohibits the internet sale and postal delivery of highly toxic chemicals and explosive precursors. 

Why This Matters 

The new law significantly strengthens  China’s hazardous chemical governance framework, reflecting  an increased national focus on safety, environmental protection, and public health. The law aims to prevent major accidents by introducing tighter supervision, clearer responsibilities, and stricter licensing requirements. Further implementing regulations are expected to clarify detailed compliance and enforcement requirements.