Step 0: Introductions that are in the listed category
Start by searching our Inventory
The Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (Inventory) is an online database of industrial chemicals that are being manufactured or imported into Australia. Start by checking whether your chemical is listed on the Inventory.
If you know your chemical's CAS number or CAS name
Search the Inventory using your chemical's CAS number. If you don't know the CAS number or the chemical does not have an assigned CAS number, search the Inventory using the chemical's CAS name (using the keyword search).
Note: Some common names for chemicals are on the Inventory but your results will most likely be a very broad list of candidate chemicals.
If you don't know your chemical's CAS number or CAS name
Ask your chemical identity holder (for example, your supplier) if they can give this to you. If they're unable to give this to you because it is proprietary information, try asking them to search the Inventory on your behalf. If they find the chemical on the Inventory, you should ask them to tell you if there are any terms or conditions described on the Inventory listing for your chemical.
No search results or too many results
Did you search using the chemical's CAS number or CAS name?
If no, then we recommend that you search using the chemical's CAS number (preferably), or CAS name. This is because the Inventory rarely contains trade names, INCI names or product names.
If yes, then check if it is one of these reasons:
- The chemical meets our legal definition of a naturally occurring chemical - chemicals that meet this definition do not need to be on the Inventory.
- It’s a mixture (such as an alloy or hydrate) – the Inventory only contains names of chemicals, not mixtures.
- You entered an incorrect CAS number or it doesn’t match the CAS number format. For example you may have added a space between the numbers or hyphens.
- You entered an outdated CAS number. Sometimes CAS replaces a chemical’s CAS number with a new one, so you need to make sure that you’re using the updated CAS number. You can check if you have an up-to-date CAS number for your chemical by searching chemical databases such as ChemIDPlus and SciFinder-n.
Still no result after searching the chemical's CAS number?
You can ask us to check if your chemical is confidentially listed on the Inventory. This is because there are some chemicals that are listed on the Inventory where the CAS name and CAS number are protected as confidential business information (CBI). If it is not confidentially listed on the Inventory, then you must proceed to Step 1 of the Categorisation Guide to work out your chemical introduction category.
Trade names, product names and INCI names
The Inventory is a database of chemicals, not products, mixtures or formulations. Therefore it does not contain product names, trade or marketing names and rarely contains INCI or common chemical names. We recommend finding a CAS number or CAS name for each chemical that you want to search. For example:
 Search using the CAS number or name |
 Don’t search using trade or common names |
| 107-21-1 / 1,2-Ethanediol 57-55-6 / 1,2-Propanediol |
Antifreeze |
| 144-55-8 / Carbonic acid, monosodium salt | Baking soda |
| 77-92-9 / 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy- | Citric acid |
| 9005-25-8 / Starch | Corn starch |
| 7487-88-9 / Sulfuric acid magnesium salt (1:1) | Epsom salt |
| 56-81-5 / 1,2,3-Propanetriol | Glycerine |
| 8000-28-0 / Essential oils, lavender | Lavender oil |
| 13463-67-7 / Titanium oxide (TiO2) | Liquid paper |
| 1310-73-2 / Sodium hydroxide (Na(OH)) | Lye |
| 68917-75-9 / Oils, wintergreen | Wintergreen oil |
Important: These CAS numbers are examples only. It is the introducer’s responsibility to correctly identify and know the chemistry of their introductions.
Naturally occurring chemicals
Introductions of naturally occurring chemicals do not need to be on the Inventory. You can import or manufacture naturally occurring chemicals without telling us, as long as they meet our definition of 'naturally occurring'.
Mixture
A mixture contains 2 or more component chemicals that don’t react. You need to search the Inventory for each component chemical that make up the mixture, not the mixture itself. You can import or manufacture the mixture as long as their component chemicals are on the Inventory and you follow the regulatory obligations.
If you find your chemical on the Inventory
If you get a match, click on the link to view the chemical identity information and any regulatory obligations associated with that chemical. Take note of the information you see on the listing page and see the descriptions below to find out what to do next.
If your chemical is on the Inventory without specified regulatory obligations
This is when the chemical's 'Inventory terms of listing' only describes chemical identity information like the CAS name and CAS number and does not specify any requirements, conditions or a ‘defined scope of assessment’.
If your chemical is on the Inventory with a specific information requirement
If your chemical is on the Inventory with a defined scope of assessment
- continue with this guide to work out your introduction category – proceed to Step 1: Introductions that cannot be exempted or reported
- apply to vary the Inventory terms of listing (to change the parameters of the defined scope of assessment for that chemical's listing) and receive approval – fee applies
If your chemical is on the Inventory with a condition of introduction or use
If your chemical is not on the Inventory
Next - Step 1: Introductions that cannot be exempted or reported