Scope and Exemption

As the first step, you are encouraged to understand the scope of Amended K-REACH to ensure if your products are covered by this regulation or not. Meanwhile, please check out the exemption criteria to ensure if you need to submit the application of exemption to KECO for confirmation.

Scope of Amended K-REACH

Chemical substance on its own including new substance and existing substances; substance in a mixture; and article containing priority control substance need to comply with Amended K-REACH, except naturally occurring substance and products (substance, mixture and/or article) subject to other laws, including:

Radioactive substances of the Atomic Energy Act;
Pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical drugs of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act;
Narcotics of the Act on the Control of Narcotics;
Cosmetics and materials of the Cosmetics Act;
Ingredients and agrochemicals of the Agrochemicals Control Act;
Fertilizers of the Fertilizer Control Act;
Food, food additives, tools, containers and package of the Food Sanitization Act;
Livestock feeds of the Act on Control of Livestock and Fish Feeds;
Ammunitions of the Act on the Control of Firearms, Swords, Explosives;
Military supplies of the Act on the Management of Military Supplies and of the Defense Acquisition Program Act (except for commercial goods under Article 3 of the Act on the Management of Military Supplies;
Health functional food of the Health Functional Food Act;
Medical devices of the Medical Device Act;
Personal Care Product Safety Control Act;
Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Act.

Amended K-REACH Exemption

Substances falling under any of the following subparagraphs are subject to exemption, which do not need KECO (Korea Environment Cooperation) confirmation.

A chemical substance imported as contained in machinery;

A chemical substance imported along with machinery or equipment for a test run;
A chemical substance in a product in solid state with specific shape for a certain function and not discharged during its use;
A chemical substance designated and publicly notified by the Minister of Environment after deliberation by the Chemical Substance Evaluation Committee which has extremely low risk;
Impurities, by-products, minerals, ores, glass, vegetable fats/oil, hydrogen, and oxygen, etc.;
A substance itself existing in the nature or a substance obtained by using manpower, machine or gravity to the substance existing in the nature or by selecting after dissolving or floating thereof in the water; and
A base composing DNA or RNA, nucleoside which is a combination of base and sugar.

The following substances will also be exempted from registration or reporting after confirmation of KECO via the Chemical Substance Information Processing System:

Reagents for test, research or inspection; or
A chemical substance for demo production, such application may be submitted within 30 days from the date such substance has been manufactured or imported (within 14 days until Dec. 31, 2018).