(1) Reasons for Proposal
As the Chemical Substances Control Act was amended (Act No. 17182, promulgated on March 31, 2020, to be enforced on April 1, 2021) to integrate the off-site consequence analysis and risk management plan into the chemical accident prevention and management plan, the Amendment aims to improve and supplement the current system by prescribing matters delegated by the law and matters necessary for its implementation, and improving procedures for verifying minor facility modifications.
(2) Major Provisions
A. Matters concerning those who are subject to fill out and submit chemical accident prevention and management plans, and implementation and notification for residents (Article 19, attached Table 4 and attached Table 10 amended, and Articles 19-2, 19-3, 19-4, 19-5 and 19-6 newly inserted)
1) Classify the level of implementation of the chemical accident prevention and management plan into group 1 and group 2 hazardous chemical handling sites according to the prescribed quantity standards for each hazardous chemical substance, and exempt facilities that do not need to prepare a chemical accident prevention and management plan, such as a business establishment or medical institution that handles sub-regulated quantities with little external impact in the event of leakage.
2) Consolidate and exclude the contents that are relatively unnecessary and replaceable among those provided in the existing off-site consequence analysis and risk management plan and reorganize the details of the chemical accident prevention and management plan to ensure that all subjects establish action plans necessary to respond to leakage accidents.
3) If a chemical accident prevention and management plan is submitted for review, prescribe and reorganize the methods, intervals, etc., to implement the safety management listed in the corresponding chemical accident prevention management plan and to make sure that the head of the National Institute of Chemical Safety regularly checks the implementation at handling sites for group 1 harmful chemical substances.
4) Mandate that the group 1 harmful chemical handling sites notify the information on chemical accidents set out under the law to the nearby residents and prescribe and reorganize the methods, intervals, etc., of the applicable notification.
B. Specify the contents to be included in the regional chemical accident response plan to be established by local governments, such as emergency contact system, protection and evacuation of residents, accident support and recovery plan, etc., in preparation for leakage accidents, and prescribe relevant provisions to consult with the National Institute of Chemical Safety for matters required for establishing the plan, if necessary (Article 20 amended)
C. Prescribe or reorganize the permit procedures, methods, etc., to allow modified chemical accident prevention and management plans only where the scope of impact is extended in a chemical accident caused by new construction, extension, and relocation of harmful chemical substance handling facilities or substance modification, etc., among the attached documents submitted at the time of application of business modification by a harmful chemical substance operator (Articles 19-3 and 29 amended)
D. In case of minor facility changes that do not extend the scope of impact of chemical accidents, which are required for business modification report, make amendment to allow the operator to operate the facilities first and then receive an installation inspection within 30 days from the date of modification and submit the results within 60 days (Article 29 amended)
E. Supplement operational shortcomings found in the system on the management, accident prevention and response in relation to harmful chemical substances and reorganize provisions according to the amendment to the Act, etc. (Article 5-3, 14, 18, 23, 24, 26, 31, attached Tables 2, 3, 5, 6, 6-2, 6-3, 7, 9, 11, and 13 amended, and attached Tables 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4 deleted)
