On Dec 6th 2016, China’s State Council published the Comprehensive Management Plan on Safety of Hazardous Chemicals. The lessons learned from the Tianjin Blasts last year were reemphasized again and the measures that government took after the disaster have been examined. Based on the progress made and the problems government encountered in the past year, the Plan raised 40 detailed goals involving 10 major areas relating to the management of hazardous chemicals over the next 3 years (from Dec 2016 to Nov 2019).
The government will continue the investigation of the major sources of danger associated with hazardous chemicals.
The management and control of high-risk chemicals will be tightened.
The supervision and responsibilities of government should be further specified.
The law system including regulations and relevant standards will be improved.
A licensing system will be implemented for all construction projects related to hazardous chemicals.
The responsibilities of enterprise are emphasized, including production safety, disposal of hazardous chemicals, etc.
The chemical safety supervision system should allow third party service agents and the public to participate.
The hazardous chemicals registration system will be improved and a national hazardous chemicals information platform will be established.
Key abilities relating to disaster and emergency situation management of both the government and industry should be strengthened.
Information relating to chemical safety and the training of qualified industrial workers will be emphasized.
The Chinese government has made many changes designed to improve the management of hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods this year. For example, Ministry of Transport (MOT) consulted on regulations for both road transport and waterway transport of dangerous goods; Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) revised the Inventory of Hazardous Wastes; the newly published 13th Five Year Plan Environmental Protection Program which also mentioned the assessment of chemicals. The abolishment of MEP Order 22 probably means a new law will be developed which will gain higher legal status than State Council Decree 591.
