Changes to the Industrial Chemicals Categorisation Guidelines coming in September 2026

We have finalised planned changes to the 2026 AICIS Industrial Chemicals Categorisation Guidelines (Guidelines) that will take effect in September 2026.

On this page, we cover updates to the Guidelines and our response to feedback we received during public consultation on our proposals.

Guidelines changes effective from September 2026

Updates to the list of chemicals with high hazards for categorisation

We will make these changes to the list: 

1. Add 293* new entries based on updates to external sources and recent AICIS assessments or evaluations.
2. Update 122* existing entries to show they have been added to another source of the list, or to update the chemical hazard details.
3. Correct the CAS number for bis(pentachlorophenyl) carbonate to 7497-08-7.
4. Remove 1,1,1-trichloroethane (CAS number 71-55-6) and fluoro(triphenyl)stannane (CAS number 379-52-5) as they no longer appear in the original source documents.

* In the original consultation, one entry was incorrectly described as an addition to the list. We have corrected this to be an update instead: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV); International Agency for Research on Cancer; Carcinogenicity Group 1 (updated from Carcinogenicity Group 2A)

Download

High hazard salts and esters

We’re adding 5 chemicals to part 6.5.2 (information required to demonstrate the absence of developmental toxicity). Introducers may need to check that their introductions are not a salt** of the specified chemicals during categorisation to demonstrate the absence of the developmental toxicity hazard characteristic.

The exception criteria for these chemicals will be:

• The salt is a high molecular weight polymer, with low levels of low molecular weight species.
• The molecular weight of the salt is greater than or equal to 1,000 g/mol. 
   

 **In the original consultation, we incorrectly said:

‘Introducers may need to check that their introductions are not a salt or ester of the specified chemicals during the categorisation process.’

The inclusion of ‘ester’ in this sentence was an error. We have corrected this to only state ‘not a salt’.

New single definition of ‘chemical identity holder’

Following stakeholder feedback, we have altered the definition to improve clarity. This single definition will replace the 2 existing definitions in the current Guidelines.

Updated definition in Guidelines part 2.2.1 – effective September 2026
Chemical identity holder, in relation to an industrial chemical, means a person who knows information relating to the chemical identity of the industrial chemical.

Note: A chemical identity holder may have obligations in accordance with the relevant sections of Chapter 3 of the IC General Rules (reporting)

Updated links and minor editorial changes

We will also update the links and make the minor editorial changes that we advised of in our public consultation.

Our response to feedback

We received a total of 7 submissions between 13 November 2025 and 28 January 2026.

Note: some comments fell outside the scope of this consultation and are not included here.

Feedback on the list of chemicals with high hazards for categorisation

‘Adding chemicals to the list on the basis of an AICIS evaluation may create a ‘uniquely Australian classification framework’ that is not internationally aligned.’

Response: Chemicals that AICIS has evaluated can be added to the list, under appendix 8.1 of the Guidelines. When we conduct an evaluation, we consider all available information about a chemical, including overseas information, before forming recommendations and conclusions.

The list is not a classification framework. Its purpose is to ensure that introducers do not need to generate toxicity information to demonstrate that a chemical does not have high hazard characteristics such as carcinogenicity.

Chemicals on the list are known to be of higher hazard and unsuitable for introduction in a lower risk category. Therefore, AICIS should assess potential risks before their introduction to Australia.

‘Some of the entries, such as viruses, should not be added to the list because they fall outside AICIS’s scope and would create unnecessary regulatory burden and confusion.’

Response: Entries will not be added to the list as part of an annual update if they are not ‘chemicals’ according to the legislation. 
However, viruses can be UVCB substances and thus ‘chemicals’. So, if a virus has an industrial use, it can meet the definition of an industrial chemical. Having them on the list will ensure that any future introductions of viruses with an industrial use will be categorised appropriately.

‘CAS numbers should be added for industrial chemicals that currently do not have them on the list, where they are available, to improve transparency.’

Response: Some chemicals on the list are not accompanied by CAS numbers because the original source does not include CAS numbers.

We will explore options to make the list easier to search for chemicals on the list. In the meantime, you can search by full chemical name or fragments of the chemical name.

Feedback on high hazard salts and esters

‘Salts and esters of 1H-benzotriazole and its monosubstituted derivatives should not be added to the Guidelines:

1. The proposal lacks clarity and scientific justification, particularly given that AICIS has not evaluated the salts and esters of these chemicals, but only the parent chemicals.
2. The specific salts and esters that are intended to be captured by the additional requirement have not been identified.
3. It could have impacts on chemicals currently being introduced’.

Response: Part 6.5.2 of the Guidelines (Information required to demonstrate the absence of developmental toxicity) will require consideration of only the salts of 1H-benzotriazole and its monosubstituted derivatives. It will not require consideration of both salts and esters. Our published consultation material referred to ‘salts and esters’ – but this was an error, now corrected (see above High hazard salts esters).

In our detailed evaluation (EVA00122), we found that 1H-benzotriazole and its monosubstituted derivatives meet the GHS classification for several human health hazards, including developmental toxicity. Because salts of these chemicals will dissociate to form the parent chemical, it is appropriate to assume that salts of the parent chemicals would have the same systemic hazard characteristics as the parent chemicals. For this reason, inclusion of the salts of 1H-benzotriazole and its monosubstituted derivatives at Part 6.5.2 is justified. This approach ensures that potentially highly hazardous chemicals are categorised appropriately. The approach was previously consulted on and was not open to feedback as part of this consultation.

We do not expect this change to affect existing introductions. To date:

1. No pre-introduction reports (PIRs) or post-introduction declarations (PIDs) that would be affected by this change have been submitted to AICIS.
2. We have identified a small number of commercially active salts of these chemicals but these are only being used internationally (not in Australia).

Given their high hazard profile, including salts of these chemicals in the Guidelines ensures that any future introductions are categorised appropriately.

Feedback on the proposed definition of 'chemical identity holder'

We received 6 submissions commenting on the proposed definition. Two supported the definition, while others disagreed or suggested changes to improve clarity. 

After considering the feedback, we have revised the definition to make it clearer that a chemical identity holder is the person who knows the chemical identity information. The revised definition applies specifically to the reporting provisions of the Industrial Chemicals (General) Rules 2019.

Note: under the relevant reporting sections in Chapter 3 of the Industrial Chemicals General Rules 2019, the chemical identity holder must provide this information if the introducer does not know it.

What’s next?

The AICIS Executive Director will issue the next Industrial Chemicals Categorisation Guidelines in September 2026.