(1) Reasons for Proposal

With the amendment of the Safety Management of Household Chemical Products and Biocides Act (Act No. 17103; promulgated on March 24, 2020; to be enforced on January 1, 2021), this Partial Amendment aims to define matters delegated by the Act such as specifying those exempted from regulations and other matters necessary for the enforcement thereof, and supplement some regulations to operate the system more effectively.

(2) Major Provisions

A. Specify those exempted from safety standard conformance assessment, reporting, and approval (Article 1-2)

Exempt household chemical products or biocides applicable to any of the subparagraphs under Article 5 (1) from Article 10 or Chapter 3 of the Act, in addition to products for scientific experiment/analysis/research, prototypes, and products exported only, and allow the Minister of Environment to receive an application and check whether Article 10 or Chapter 3 of the Act applies to any household chemical product or biocide.

B. Define change reporting and approval methods for household chemical products subject to safety assurance (Articles 5 and 6)

Define documentation to be submitted to report any change under Article 10 (5) of the Act, update documentation to be submitted for approval under Article 10 (6) thereof, and define documentation to be submitted and procedures for change approval and reporting. 

C. Supplement comparability standards for biocide-treated products (Article 23 (1))

Acknowledge that for imported biocide-treated products, biocides containing biocidal substances, whose safety is recognized by a foreign government for their use, are considered to comply with safety standards. 

D. Create a reason to repeat vertebrate animal studies (Article 25-2)

Define the reason that allows for repeating vertebrate animal studies on the same substance/product pursuant to the principles of minimizing vertebrate animal studies under Article 32-2 of the Act.

E. Supplement test/inspection agency designation criteria (Article 33)

Ensure that the test/inspection agency has equipment required to perform a test/inspection and technical staff experienced in analysis for a certain period under Article 41 (3) of the Act.

F. Create matters to establish the chemical product information network (Articles 37 (2) and (3))

Define the information which the Minister of Environment can request from other relevant central administrative agencies and the items which can be disclosed to establish an information network that integrates and manages safety information for chemicals and products containing chemicals under Article 47 (2) of the Act.

G. Create monetary reward criteria (Article 37-2)

Prepare monetary reward criteria, procedures, and payment limits for any person who reports the person who sells or donates any household chemical product or biocide in violation of any obligation, such as failing to receive a safety standard conformance assessment, displays, keeps, or stores the product or biocide for such purposes, and manufactures, imports, sells, and distributes the product or biocide despite a corrective action order for recall or disposal. 

H. Amend delegated/entrusted matters to improve work efficiency (Articles 38 and 39)

Reflect the amended Act in delegated/entrusted matters, delegate the imposition/collection of administrative fines to improve work efficiency, and entrust the association established under Article 53 of the Chemicals Control Act with training and technical support for the biocidal substance manufacturer/importer.

I. Define work and information to be notified by the person designated by the foreign manufacturer (Article 39-2)

Define the submission of a substance approval filing plan and the request for data protection as work to be performed by the foreign manufacturer under Article 54-2 of the Act, and specify information to be notified to the importer.