Legislative Process on Draft Chinese Law on Hazardous Chemicals Safety Accelerates

On April 25, 2025, at a press conference, Huang Haihua, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), announced that the Draft Law on Hazardous Chemicals Safety of the People's Republic of China has been formally included in the NPC Standing Committee’s 2025 Legislative Work Plan. As a key legislative project to strengthen China’s national security system and public safety governance framework, the draft will advance alongside laws such as the Atomic Energy Law and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Public Health Emergencies, marking a critical step in legalizing hazardous chemical safety management.

Legislative Progress

On April 25, 2025, Huang Haihua, reported on the latest adjustments and key legislative plans for the 2025 Legislative Work Plan of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. The Law on Hazardous Chemicals Safety has been designated a priority for enactment, with plans to progress concurrently with amendments to the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, Cybersecurity Law, and others, to jointly enhance and perfect the national security system and public safety governance mechanisms.

After its initial review during the 13th session of the 14th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in December 2024, the draft entered the public consultation phase. Huang Haihua specifically mentioned that the draft widely solicited public opinions through channels such as the National People's Congress website and publicly disclosed the details of the consultation process.

Public Consultation Highlights

• Broad Participation: The NPC website received 3,500 submissions from 1,353 individuals and 7 public letters, focusing on strengthening full-chain oversight, clarifying corporate accountability, optimizing industrial park planning, and refining legal liability.
• Expert Input: 14 NPC deputies submitted 36 recommendations, emphasizing worker training and digital tracking systems.
• Grassroots Insights: 14 local legislative hubs (e.g., Zhumadian, Henan; Kuqa, Xinjiang) gathered feedback through field research and forums, highlighting dynamic oversight of industrial parks and emerging risks.

Next Steps

The NPC Legislative Affairs Commission will revise the draft based on public input and advance subsequent deliberations. The law is set to follow a prioritized timeline, providing a legal foundation for robust hazardous chemical safety management in China.

Background

As a global leader in the production, use, import/export, and consumption of hazardous chemicals, China’s vast industrial scale and broad sectoral coverage are accompanied by severe safety challenges. Existing regulations have struggled to meet the needs of full-chain, multi-stage safety management, necessitating specialized legislation to enhance governance capabilities. The draft law establishes provisions for the planning, production, storage, use, trade, transportation, registration, emergency response, and legal liability related to hazardous chemicals, aiming to build a lifecycle regulatory framework. It applies to safety management across production, storage, use, trade, and transportation of hazardous chemicals.

Structure of the Draft

The draft comprises 9 chapters (124 articles):

1. General Provisions,
2. Planning and Layout,
3. Production and Storage Safety,
4. Use Safety,
5. Trade Safety,
6. Transportation Safety,
7. Registration and Emergency Response,
8. Legal Liability, and
9. Supplementary Provisions.

Key Provisions

• Personnel in hazardous chemical facilities must undergo training and pass competency assessments before assuming their positions.
• Electronic labeling and lifecycle digital monitoring will be implemented for hazardous chemicals.
• Producers and importers must provide accurate Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and labels; non-compliance will incur penalties.
• Exemptions from registration for low-volume, low-emission chemicals during R&D and trial phases.
• Unauthorized handling of chemicals with undetermined hazardous properties is prohibited.

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Further Information

NPC