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The government is operating in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions pending the outcome of the 2025 federal election.

Record keeping for exempted introductions – polymers that are comparable to listed polymers

You must keep certain records for introductions of polymers that are comparable to listed polymers, which you’ve categorised as exempted. You must provide these records within 20 working days if we ask for them.

Before you read this page’s content, make sure you’ve already read and understood our record-keeping overview page.

Records you must keep

The type of records you must keep depends on:

  • whether you know the CAS number, CAS name or IUPAC name
  • when you first introduced your polymer.

An introducer is taken to know the CAS number, CAS name, IUPAC name, or eligible INCI plant extract name if it would be reasonably practicable for them to find out that number/name.

This means introducers must proactively try to find this information, including checking for it with their chemical supplier.  

Work through information on this page to understand your record-keeping obligations for this type of introduction.

Records you must keep if you first introduced your polymer on or after 1 July 2020

Chemical identity

  • If you know the CAS number – written or electronic record of the CAS number for the polymer and one of the following:
    • CAS name
    • IUPAC name
    • INCI name
  • If you don’t know the CAS number or it is not assigned, written or electronic records of one of the following:
    • CAS name
    • IUPAC name
  •  If you don’t know the CAS number or it is not assigned, and you don’t know the CAS name or IUPAC name - written or electronic record of:
    • names you use to refer to the polymer
    • name of the person or business who you believe (on reasonable grounds) would give the CAS number (if assigned), and the CAS name or IUPAC name of the polymer, if requested by the introducer, following a request from the Executive Director. 
    • why you believe the information holder will give the required to AICIS. For example, this could be information in an email from the chemical identity holder or minutes of a meeting.

Introduction requirements

You will also need the following records:

  • Records to prove your chemical is not one that cannot be exempted or reported at step 1 of the categorisation process. That is:
    • isn’t listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention* or 
    • isn't listed in Part 1 of Annex A, B or C of the Stockholm Convention* 
    • the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee has not decided that your chemical meets the POPs screening criteria set out in Annex D of the Stockholm Convention*
    • the AICIS Executive Director has not decided that your chemical meets the Annex D screening criteria for POPs while making the decision about issuing an assessment certificate for that chemical*. 
    • the AICIS Executive Director has not decided that your chemical meets the Annex D screening criteria for POPs based on an AICIS evaluation done on that chemical*.
    • your chemical isn’t listed on the Inventory with conditions of introduction or use that will be contravened

      We'll accept a signed and dated declaration that these checks took place. 

      *unless it is introduced solely for use in research or analysis and the amount that you introduce in a registration year does not exceed 100kg.

If you know your polymer’s identity

You must have records to demonstrate that your introduction meets the criteria for introductions of polymers that are comparable to listed polymers – see checkboxes below.

If someone else holds information about your polymer’s identity

You must have records showing all 3 below:

  1. Why you believe your introduction meets the criteria for introductions of polymers that are comparable to listed polymers. These criteria are detailed in the checkboxes below.
  2. The name of the person or business who you believe (on reasonable grounds) would give AICIS the records to demonstrate that the criteria for introductions of polymers that are comparable to listed polymers are met, if requested by you, following a request from the Executive Director. 
  3. Why you believe the information holder will give the required information to AICIS. For example, this could be information in an email from the holder of the information or minutes of a meeting.
  • Records to prove your chemical meets our definition of a polymer. We’ll accept a GPC analysis report.
  • Records to prove that your polymer:
    • contains each of the reactants that another polymer that is listed on the Inventory (the listed polymer) does and 
    • contains one or more other reactants (the additional reactants) that the listed polymer does not and that each additional reactant does not constitute more than 2% by weight of your polymer.

See our definition of a polymer

  • If the terms of the Inventory listing for the listed polymer include a defined scope of assessment – records to demonstrate that you are introducing or using your polymer in accordance with that defined scope. The information that we’ll accept depends on the defined scope of assessment.
  • If the terms of the Inventory listing for the listed polymer include conditions relating to its introduction or use – records to demonstrate that you are complying with those conditions for your polymer. The information that we’ll accept depends on the conditions relating to its introduction or use.
     
  • If the terms of the Inventory listing for the listed polymer include specific requirements to give us information – records to demonstrate that you are meeting those requirements for your polymer. The information that we’ll accept depends on the specific requirements.

 

Records you must keep if you first introduced your polymer before 1 July 2020

The records you must keep relate to the chemical identity of the polymer that is listed on the Inventory (the listed polymer) that is comparable to your polymer – rather than the polymer you are introducing. 

  • If you know the CAS number – written or electronic record of the CAS number and CAS name for the listed polymer
  • If you don’t know the CAS number and CAS name, you must have written or electronic records of:
    • name you use to refer to the listed polymer
    • name of the person or business who you believe (on reasonable grounds) would give the CAS number (if assigned), and the CAS name, IUPAC name or eligible INCI plant extract name of the chemical, if requested by the introducer, following a request from the Executive Director. 
    • why you believe the information holder will give the required information to AICIS. For example, this could be information in an email from the chemical identity holder or minutes of a meeting.

How to print the checklist

Use your browser to print the record-keeping checklist content on this page by:

  1. clicking the print button at the top-right this page / or pressing Ctrl P 
  2. selecting your printer or choosing the 'Save as PDF' option
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