주요 교역국의 화학물질 규제동향 분석

Abstract

The Trend Analysis of Management Policies of Chemicals among Major Trading Countries Since the 1990s, management policies of hazardous chemicals around the world was begun to be strengthened, and chemical management policies of each country are rapidly changing as EU enforced REACH in 2007. These trends chemical of strengthened chemical management policies could be explained by as follows : 1) to reduce human risk due to heavy use of hazardous chemicals and to preserve environment of each country 2) to protect industries of developed countries The objective of this study was to analyze trends of chemical management policies by China, Japan and Republic of China(Taiwan) which are major trading countries of Korea. Based on the analysis results, this study raised importance of the national strengthened management policies of chemicals in order to protect industries and human health in Korea. In China, the Guidance for New Chemical Substance Notification have been drawn up to the implementation of the Provisions on the Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances, enable a notifier to understand of the norms and procedures for undergoing new chemical substance notification registrations, and standardize the operations of the agency that handles new chemical substance notification registrations. There are five categories of new chemical substance notifications including typical notification, serial notification, joint notification, simplified notification, and notification exemption. In Japan, under the amended Act of 2009, the features of amended Chemical Substance Control Law are as follows. Manufactures/Importers of new chemicals must notify the government before putting them into the market and submit data on the properties and toxicities of such new chemicals. The government evaluate the data and decides whether the chemicals fall within one of three categories above-mentioned. And through screening of reported existing chemicals, the competent authorities can determine “priority chemicals for assessment” and require further hazard and risk assessment studies from industries. In Republic of China, new chemical substance notification is an important scheme to operate a sound chemical management system. As OECD indicates in its “New Chemical Notification Strategy, NCNS”, new chemical substance notification (NCN) is a primarily measure for competent authorities to collect information of chemicals’ hazards, exposure scenarios or risks for the purpose of evaluating chemicals and facilitating subsequent prevention measures. Nomination process of existing chemical substances is an effort of corporation among industries and authorities to collect and investigate relevant information of chemicals used domestically. It is a preparatory process for establishing the National Existing Chemical Substance Inventory. The establishment of the national chemical inventory is a critical basis for executing national chemical management strategy. As well, the inventory is a key element for competent authorities to carry out a New Chemical Notification (NCN) scheme. Once completed, the inventory will serve as the basis of future NCN requirements. The results of trend analysis were as the follows : 1) National management polices of chemical need to be strengthened. 2) Regulation levels should consider the characteristics of legislation system and industries. 3) Chemical management policies should include measures to support small businesses. 4) The government should support R&D required to develop alternative substance such as 'Green Chemistry'.