The Korea Environment Corporation (KECO) announced the initiation of its 2025 Existing Chemical Substances Full-support Program, designed to provide comprehensive assistance for joint registrations of Phase 3 (annual production 10-100 tons) chemical substances.
Eligibility Criteria
Chemical Substance Information Communicative Organization (CICO) applying must meet all requirements:
- Contain members handling Phase 3 grace period substances (10-100 t/a)
- Include at least one SME (small and medium-sized enterprise)
- Capable of verifying CICO representative and member qualifications
Exclusions apply to: Substances already registered with prior support, CICO represented by consulting firms, applications with large enterprises or overseas manufacturers as Only Representative (OR) (obliged to bear consulting costs).
Support Scope and Process
KECO will provide end-to-end support covering: CICO operation management, agreement finalization, Data Gap Analysis (DGA), hazard data collection, Chemical Safety Report (CSR) preparation and registration dossier submission.
Key requirements:
- Detailed cost breakdowns (including data procurement and administrative expenses) must be submitted to KECO, with possible public disclosure
- Mandatory use of government-designated tools (e.g., Hazard Information Database, K-Chesar)
- Exposure scenario outcomes to inform industry guidelines (excluding CBI)
- Prohibition of charging members beyond actual costs
Application and Selection
Application method: CICO representatives must submit via online form (https://forms.gle/JCKNEhoy72e8fJDB8) by March 19, 2025, including: application form, member list, consent documents, SME verification letters.
Evaluation priorities CICO with a high proportion and number of SMEs and a higher ratio of manufacturers.
Critical Notes
- Incomplete submissions or false declarations will disqualify applicants and affect future KECO program eligibility.
- Selected consortia must specify member registration volumes in agreements and exempt SMEs from consulting fees and shared CSR preparation costs.
- Overseas manufacturer-established ORs do not qualify as SMEs.
This initiative aims to reduce compliance burdens for SMEs and streamline joint chemical registrations. Eligible CICO must strictly adhere to application requirements while ensuring information authenticity.
