Exemptions from Notification

 

Some low regulatory concern chemicals are exempt from notification to NICNAS even if they are new industrial chemicals.

For most exemption categories no further action is required prior to introduction. However, information about exempt category chemicals usually needs to be provided to the Director of NICNAS to justify exemption.

Most exemption categories have an Annual Reporting obligation.
An overview of exemption categories, requirements and obligations are given in this table:

Exemption	Volume or concentration restriction	Other criteria	Advice required prior to introduction	Other reporting requirements
Research and development	Not more than 100 kg in any 12 month period	No	No	Annual Reporting
Research and Development (Manufactured)	N/A	Yes	Yes - Form 6	No
Transhipment	N/A	Yes	No	Annual Reporting
Non-cosmetic (no unreasonable risk)	Not more than 100 kg in any 12 month period	Yes	No (Form NCE-1)	Annual Reporting*
Cosmetic (<1%)	Introduced at 1% or less	Yes	No	Annual Reporting*
Cosmetic (no unreasonable risk)	Not more than 10 kg in any 12 month period	Yes	No	Annual Reporting*
Cosmetic but (no unreasonable risk)	Greater than 10 kg but not exceeding 100 kg in any 12 month period	Yes	Yes - Form 15	Annual Reporting*

* The person who introduces the chemical must keep written information available to them about occupational health and safety, public health and the environmental effects of the chemical, for the 5 years following introduction.

 

More information, including guidance on how to determine no unreasonable risk, is available in the NICNAS Handbook for Notifiers. Specific information regarding cosmetics is also available.

 

What to do now?

Notifier(s) need to prepare and submit a notification application to NICNAS for assessment if a chemical is a new industrial chemical under the NICNAS definition, and is not exempt from notification.

More information

• What importers and manufacturers need to do;

• Which Notification category should I use?

• The assessment process; and

• NICNAS Handbook for Notifiers.