Act on Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety (“K-BPR”) is a newly enacted regulation in 2019 to manage chemical products used by the general public after tragic humidifier disinfectant accident in Korea.

Manufacturer/importer who manufactures or imports chemical products used in daily living space such as home, an office, or a public-use facility, and designated and announced by MOE as they are recognized as hazardous that may cause exposure to human and environment, shall notify it in advance after obtaining verification of compliance with the safety standards.

Manufacturer/importer of existing active substance of biocides (“active substance”) and biocidal product shall get approved within grace period set by product types. (required completion of approval by the end of 2022 for disinfectants, algaecides, rodenticides, insecticides, repellents / by the end of 2024 for control of other vertebrates, invertebrates, wood preservatives / by the end of 2027 for preservatives for product, fiber and leather preservatives / by the end of 2029 for construction material preservatives, material and equipment preservatives, embalming and taxidermist fluids, antifouling products / adding 2 years in each period for biocidal products)

Manufacturer/importer who wants to get the approval for the same existing active substance or biocidal product shall form a CICO (Chemicals Information Communicative Organization, K-REACH SIEF) and prepare & submit joint approval dossier.

The scope of data required for active substance approval is very vast, so sufficient consultation such as literature search, purchasing LOA (letter of access) from overseas data owner, referring data published by domestic or foreign accredited organizations, producing new data, etc. is necessary with companies in CICO having enough time. New active substance and new biocidal product shall be approved before manufacturing/importing.

In case of active substance or biocidal product imported from abroad, the overseas manufacturer/producer can get the approval by appointing Only Representative (OR) on behalf of Korean importers.

CHEMBINES provides all consulting services related with K-BPR, such as approval of active substance, biocidal product, CICO management, literature search, LOA purchasing, communication with overseas data owner, OR service, etc.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) is a regulation in MOEL (Ministry of Employment and Labor) whose purpose is to maintain and promote the safety and health of workers at all workplaces, companies who handle chemicals shall need to manage hazardous or dangerous chemicals in accordance with OSHA.

MOEL has a separate industrial existing chemicals list and there are some differences from the KECL in MOE. Chemicals not listed on OSHA’s existing chemical list are treated as new chemicals under OSHA and can be manufactured or imported after completion of an application of hazard & risk investigation report (registration of new chemical) or confirmation of exemption from hazard & risk investigation (exemption from registration of new chemical). If new chemical registration or exemption from registration is completed under K-REACH, it is deemed that the application under OSHA is completed, too. However, it needs to be careful as the conditions for exemption from registration in K-REACH are slightly different from OSHA’s conditions, such as PLC(Polymer of Low Concern) exemption.

The obligation to prepare and submit MSDS to MOEL before manufacturing/importing and provide it to users took effect on January 16, 2021 and applies first to newly manufactured/imported products. For existing manufactured/imported products, there is a grace period depending on the handled volume per year and it will be applied to all products from January 16, 2026. If there is a trade secret ingredient in the product, alternative information can be written on MSDS after obtaining approval for CBI application claim.

In case of chemicals imported from abroad, the overseas manufacturer/producer can prepare, submit MSDS and obtain the approval for CBI application claim by appointing Only Representative (OR) on behalf of Korean importers.

CHEMBINES provides all consulting services related with OSHA, such as application of hazard & risk investigation report (registration of new chemical), confirmation of exemption from hazard & risk investigation (exemption from registration of new chemical), MSDS preparation and submission, application for approval for CBI application claim, OR service, etc.