On July 9, 2020, Thailand’s Department of Industrial Works (DIW) published the “Notification of the Department of Industrial Works: Existing Chemicals Inventory in Thailand No.1 B.E. 2563 (2020)”.
TECI is the first existing chemical inventory compiled based on the B.E.2535(1992). TECI includes a total of 11,474 substances (as of July 2020) from 1995 to 2017. Substances are classified as hazardous substances types 1-4 in the following:
- Type 1 – low degree of hazard (notification of production and import required for volumes exceeding one tonne a year);
- Type 2 – monitoring and controlling (registration required);
- Type 3 – higher degree of hazard (registration and license required); and
- Type 4 – very high risk to humans (production, import, export, or possession is prohibited).
To regulate chemical management, Thailand proposes to work on drafting a Chemical Substance Act (Thailand REACH) to replace the Hazardous Substance Act (HSA). In April 2019, the first draft of the Chemicals Act (B.E.25XX) was published and the fourth draft of the Chemical Substance Act (B.E.25XX) was published on January 7, 2021.
The proposed draft of the Chemical Substance Act intends to regulate chemicals through “the risk assessment scheme”. Chemicals classification will be based on the three lists:
- List 1 (Low risk chemicals): companies must comply with forthcoming standards for import, export, manufacture, transportation, storage and disposal/recycling.
- List 2 (High risk chemicals): users must apply and obtain permits (six-year validity);
- List 3 (Prohibited chemicals): all activities are generally prohibited except for R&D purpose or unavoidable pollutants with minor amount.
Chemical classification will be assessed by the Chemical Evaluation Committee. However, specific assessment criteria have not been specified in the draft.
► Proposed management on existing substances:
Substances listed in the TECI are classified as existing substances. If a substance in the TECI is also a hazardous substance, it shall meet relevant requirements of B.E. 2558. Substances which are identified as SVHC after screening will require a submission of chemical risk assessment report. Grace periods will be given based on tonnage bands. Enterprises can carry out the joint submission and share costs.
► Proposed management on new substances:
Substances not listed in the TECI are classified as new chemical substances. In addition to notification, new substances are required to meet the following management measures:
1) New substances that are not hazardous or do not meet SVHC criteria qualify for simplified risk assessment report. Otherwise, full risk assessment report is required.
2) If the volume of hazardous new substance is above 1t/y, notification of production/import volume and hazard is required. (see details in the B.E. 2558)
Since the new Chemical Substance Act has not been officially released, there is currently no legal impact on the TECI.
Regulations and standards
►Hazardous Substance Act B.E. 2535 (1992)
►Notification of the Department of Industrial Works: Existing Chemicals Inventory in Thailand No. 1 B.E. 2563 (2020)
►(Draft) Chemical Substance Act B.E. 25XX
Regulatory authorities
► Department of Industrial Works (DIW)
► Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
How to obtain the TECI?
- Click here to search for the latest inventory
- Search on the official website: http://inventory.diw.go.th/hazardous61/index_haz.php
- Contact CIRS Group to purchase the latest version (in Excel)
If you have any questions, please contact us at chemicals@cirs-group.com.
