Introduction to Argentina Regulation

Argentina does not currently have a comprehensive National Chemical Inventory, however it maintain a National Chemical List of Prohibited and Restricted Chemicals (LNSPQ), which was established by Resolution 192/2019 and updated by Resolution 504/2022. 

A significant development in Argentina's chemicals regulatory framework is the draft National Law for Risk Management of Chemical Substances (Bill 4339-D-2019), which aims to establish a National Inventory of Chemical Substances (INSQ). This bill, which is currently awaiting approval in Congress, aims to harmonise the regulation of chemical substances at the national level by creating a comprehensive inventory and defining mechanisms for risk assessment and management. The bill includes specific exemptions, including radioactive substances, non-isolated intermediates and substances used in food and medicine. Currently, Decree 593/19, which established the National Registry of Chemical Precursors (Registro Nacional de Precursores Químicos), has been enacted and updated with Decree 606/23, including List I of controlled chemical substances. However, these decrees lack the same extent and lasting impact as the national legislation would.

Argentina’s regulatory framework is also shaped by its obligations under international agreements such as the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions. Despite its leadership in these areas, chemicals and waste management has often been fragmented across different agencies, which leading to the 2017 UNEP Special Programme on Institutional Strengthening for Chemicals and Waste Management. The proposed National Law for Risk Management of Chemical Substances aims to address these issues by providing a unified approach to chemicals regulation in Argentina.