EU Sees Surge In Hazardous Chemicals Trade Following Benzene Regulation Changes

The trade of chemicals recognized as hazardous has seen a dramatic escalation within the European Union (EU), according to the latest annual report from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The report, which monitors the import and export of chemicals banned or under severe restrictions in the EU, unveiled a twentyfold increase in the imports of such substances in 2022, highlighted by the new inclusion of benzene-containing products.

Shocking Increase In PIC Chemical Imports

The volume of Prior Informed Consent (PIC) chemicals imported into the EU soared from around 883,119.74 tonnes in 2021 to a staggering 19,698,668.33 tonnes in 2022. This increase can largely be attributed to the categorization of benzene as a "substance in substance" under the PIC Regulation, with benzene-containing substances making up 96% (18,845,530.34 tonnes) of the imports reported this past year.

Exports Also On The Rise

It's not just imports that have seen a rise; the report also highlights a 24% growth in the export of banned or severely restricted chemicals from the EU. Almost 980,941.51 tonnes of PIC chemicals were exported in 2022 to non-EU countries.

Contributing Data

Data was provided by 24 EU countries and 543 companies tracking the export of PIC chemicals from the EU, while imports were reported by 21 EU countries and Northern Ireland, coming from 191 companies. Declarations of not importing or exporting PIC chemicals also came from several EU countries.

Annual Reporting Under PIC Regulation

Per Article 10 of the PIC Regulation, annual trade information of Annex I-listed chemicals must be reported to designated national authorities, which is then aggregated at the EU level for ECHA’s summarization and public release of non-confidential data.

This surge in trade of hazardous chemicals highlights the dynamic nature of chemicals legislation and its impact on global trade practices.