Step 2: Introductions that are categorised as exempted
Do you meet criteria on this page?
Certain chemical introductions are considered to be ‘very low risk’ to human health and the environment. These are called 'exempted introductions'. If your introduction meets the criteria on this page, it is categorised as exempted and you can stop at this step. You do not need to continue with categorisation steps 3, 4, 5 or 6. Reporting and record-keeping obligations also apply.
Our categorisation decision tool can also help you with step 2
Chemicals that are imported and subsequently exported
Your introduction is categorised as exempted if all of the following apply:
- the entire volume is imported and subsequently exported out of Australia
- the packaging in which your chemical is immediately contained is never opened
- whilst your chemical is in Australia, it remains under the control of either customs (for longer than 25 working days) or the introducer.
Note: if your chemical is under customs controls whilst in Australia and leaves Australia within 25 days, then your introduction is an excluded introduction.
Chemicals that are only used for research and development
Your introduction is categorised as exempted if all of the following apply (note that the volume of chemical that you can introduce in a registration year is lower, unless you can demonstrate that the nanoscale criteria do not apply to your introduction):
- you only use your chemical for research and development, or you make it available to another person who only uses it for research and development
- you don’t make your chemical available to the public on its own, in combination with other industrial chemicals or as part of an article
- you use control measures to eliminate or minimise any risks to the environment and any risks to the people involved in using the chemical for research and development
and point 1 or 2 or 3 applies:
- You will introduce up to 250kg of your chemical in a registration year and you can demonstrate that your chemical is not introduced as a solid or in a dispersion. To prove that your chemical is not introduced as a solid or in a dispersion, you might have an SDS or product information sheet that indicates the appearance (for example, in liquid form).
- You will introduce up to 250kg of your chemical in a registration year and you can demonstrate that your chemical does not consist of particles in an unbound state or as an aggregate or agglomerate, where at least 50% (by number size distribution) of the particles have at least one external dimension in the particle size range of 1 to 100 nm. To prove that your chemical does not consist of particles in an unbound state or as an aggregate or agglomerate, where at least 50% (by number size distribution) of the particles have at least one external dimension in the nanoscale, you might have a study report about the particle size distribution of your chemical.
- You will introduce up to 10 kg of your chemical in a registration year.
If you meet the research and development criteria and your chemical is at the nanoscale, or you had not determined at the time of introduction that it is not at the nanoscale, your introduction can only be in the exempted category if you introduce 10kg (or less) in a registration year.
Learn more about categorising chemicals introduced for research and development
Polymers of low concern (PLC)
Your introduction is categorised as exempted if it meets the criteria for a polymer of low concern and it’s not a high molecular weight polymer that has lung overloading potential.
If you are introducing polymers of low concern, you must submit a once-off exempted introduction declaration by 30 November (following the end of our registration year).
Low-concern biological polymers
Your introduction is categorised as exempted if it’s a low-concern biological polymer that meets all of the following criteria:
- the chemical is a biological chemical (that is, it’s derived from, or produced by, a living or once-living organism)
- the chemical is a polymer
- the polymer meets most of the polymer of low concern criteria, except that it’s not stable, meaning that it substantially degrades, decomposes or depolymerises during use into simpler, smaller weight chemicals
Examples of low-concern biological polymers are keratin and collagen. Enzymes are not polymers because of the lack of variability in molecular weight.
If you are introducing low-concern biological polymers, you must submit a once-off exempted introduction declaration by 30 November (following the end of our registration year).
Polymers that are comparable to listed polymers
Your introduction is categorised as exempted if ALL of the following apply:
- your chemical is a polymer
- your polymer contains exactly the same reactants (must have each of the reactants) as another polymer that is already listed on the Inventory
- your polymer contains one or more other reactants (the additional reactants) that the listed polymer does not
- each additional reactant is present at no more than 2% by weight of the polymer
You must also comply with any regulatory requirements associated with the listed polymer.
Chemicals that are comparable to listed chemicals
If you’re introducing any of the chemicals in column B of the table below, your introduction could be categorised as exempted.
If your chemical is in the comparable chemicals table
If your chemical is in column B of the table, it means that it has a comparable chemical that is already listed on the Inventory. Go to column C of the same row to find it. Next, search for the comparable chemical on the Inventory using the CAS number in column C to check whether there are any regulatory requirements or obligations for the listed chemical.
If your search results show:
- there are no regulatory requirements for the chemical, your introduction is categorised as exempted
- there are regulatory requirements for the chemical and you can meet these requirements, your introduction is categorised as exempted
- there are regulatory requirements for the chemical, but you cannot meet these requirements and none of the other introductions described on this page apply to you, move onto step 3: Introductions that are categorised as reported.
If your chemical is not in the comparable chemicals table
If your chemical is not in the table below and none of the other introductions described on this page apply to you, move on to step 3: Introductions that are categorised as reported.
|
A. Item |
B. Industrial chemical to be introduced |
C. Comparable industrial chemical already listed on the Inventory |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Aloe barbadensis, extract CAS number: 94349-62-9 |
Aloe vera, extract CAS number: 85507-69-3 |
| 2 |
Brassica oleracea botrytis, extract CAS number: 223749-36-8 |
Cabbage, extract CAS number: 89958-13-4 |
| 3 |
Brassica oleracea, extract CAS number: 91771-39-0 |
Cabbage, extract CAS number: 89958-13-4 |
| 4 |
Brassica oleracea gemmifera, extract CAS number: 1174275-27-4 |
Cabbage, extract CAS number: 89958-13-4 |
| 5 |
Fatty acids, palm-oil, sodium salts CAS number: 61790-79-2 |
Fatty acids, C14-18 and C16-18-unsaturated, sodium salts CAS number: 67701-11-5 |
| 6 |
Jojoba, extract CAS number: 90045-98-0 |
Jojoba oil CAS number: 61789-91-1 |
| 7 |
3,6,9,12,15,18,21,21,24,27-Nonaoxanonatriacontan-1-ol CAS number: 3055-99-0 |
Poly(oxy 1,2-ethanediyl), α-dodecyl-ω-hydroxy CAS number: 9002-92-0 |
| 8 |
Matricaria recutita, extract CAS number: 84082-60-0 |
Oils, Chamomile, German CAS number: 8002-66-2 |
| 9 |
Orange, extract CAS number: 84012-28-2 |
Orange, sweet, extract CAS number: 8028-48-6 |
| 10 |
Pelargonium roseum, extract CAS number: 90082-55-6 |
Pelargonium graveolens, extract CAS number: 90082-51-2 |
| 11 |
Soya lecithins CAS number: 8030-76-0 |
Lecithins CAS number: 8002-43-5 |
| 12 |
Soya phospholipids CAS number: 308069-41-2 |
Phospholipids CAS number: 123465-35-0 |
| 13 |
Spiro[isobenzofuran- 1(3H),9’[9H]xanthen]-3-one, 2’,4’,5’,7’-tetrabromo -4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-3’,6’-dihydroxy-, aluminum salt (3:2) CAS number: 15876-58-1 |
Spiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9’-[9H]xanthen]-3-one, 2’,4’,5’,7’-tetrabromo-4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-3’,6’-dihydroxy-, aluminum salt (3:1) CAS number: 27532-17-8 |
| 14 |
Tridymite CAS number: 15468-32-3 |
Silica CAS number: 7631-86-9 |
| 15 |
Wheat germ oil CAS number: 313258-61-6 |
Oils, wheat CAS number: 68917-73-7 |
Examples
Your proposed introduction:
You plan to introduce ‘fatty acids, palm-oil, sodium salts’ (CAS No. 61790‑79‑2), which is not on the Inventory, but is in column B of the comparable chemicals table. In column C of the same row you find ‘fatty acids, C14‑18 and C16‑18‑unsaturated, sodium salts’ (CAS No. 67701‑11‑5), which means this chemical is comparable to your chemical and listed on the Inventory. You search this chemical (CAS No. 67701‑11‑5) on the Inventory and find there are no regulatory requirements associated with the introduction of this chemical. This means you can introduce your chemical (CAS No. 61790‑79‑2) as an exempted introduction if you're registered with us.
Your proposed introduction:
You plan to introduce 'soya phospholipids' (CAS No.308069‑41‑2) in end use products at a concentration level of 30%. Soya phospholipids is in column B of the comparable chemicals table. In column C of the same row, you find 'phospholipids' (CAS No. 123465‑35‑0) which means this chemical is comparable to your chemical and listed on the Inventory. You search this chemical (CAS No. 123465‑35‑0) on the Inventory and find there are regulatory conditions under the term ‘defined scope of assessment'. It says 'This chemical has been assessed as a component of dermal cosmetic products at concentrations no more than 20%. This chemical is not to be used in topical products intended for the eye'.
You don't meet this condition because you plan to use your chemical – soya phospholipids – at a concentration of 30% in end use products. This means your introduction is not categorised as exempted. If none of the other introductions described on this page apply to you, go to step 3: Introductions that are categorised as reported.
Chemicals resulting from non-functionalised surface treatment of listed chemicals
Your chemical introduction is categorised as exempted if the chemical is a non-functionalised surface-treated chemical resulting from a reaction of chemicals that are all listed on the Inventory. To be an exempted introduction, your chemical must meet all of the following criteria:
- it is the result of a reaction between 2 or more chemicals, all of which are listed on the Inventory
- the reaction to produce the chemical occurs at the surface of one of the chemicals (the substrate chemical) and the substrate chemical is listed on the Inventory
- it does not have any reactive functional groups that were not already on the substrate chemical before the reaction occurred
- it is not introduced as a solid or in a dispersion that consist of particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or agglomerate, where at least 50% (by number size distribution) of the particles have at least one external dimension in the particle size range of 1 to 100 nm.
Your obligations for introducing chemicals in the exempted category
You can introduce an industrial chemical that’s categorised as exempted into Australia without telling us about it, as long as you:
- are registered with us
- keep records about the chemical
- submit an annual declaration
You may also need to submit an exempted introduction declaration. This is a once-off post-introduction declaration due after the end of our registration year and only applies if you are introducing:
- polymers of low concern
- low-concern biopolymers
Next – Step 3: Introductions that are categorised as reported