Regulatory requirements and customs clearance procedures for importing hazardous chemicals (Part 1)

With the continuous optimization of China's energy structure and the rapid growth of demand for clean energy, imported hazardous chemicals for energy use are increasingly widely applied in petrochemical, power generation and heating, and new energy supporting industries. In particular, energy-related hazardous chemicals such as crude oil and natural gas have become crucial materials for ensuring national energy security and industrial operations. However, most of these products possess hazardous characteristics such as flammability and explosiveness, and the customs supervision requirements and clearance procedures for their import are correspondingly more stringent and complex.
1. Definition of hazardous chemicals
According to the Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, "hazardous chemicals" as referred to in this law refer to highly toxic chemicals and other chemicals that possess properties such as toxicity, corrosiveness, explosiveness, flammability, or combustion-supporting properties, and pose hazards to human health, facilities, and the ecological environment.
II. China's access requirements for imported hazardous chemicals
China implements an access management system for the import of hazardous chemicals. According to Article 1 of Announcement No. 129 of 2020 issued by the General Administration of Customs (Announcement on Issues Relating to the Inspection and Supervision of Imported and Exported Hazardous Chemicals and Their Packaging), customs authorities conduct inspections on imported and exported hazardous chemicals listed in the national "Hazardous Chemicals Catalogue" (latest edition).