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The safety of hazardous chemicals directly affects the lives and property of the people, as well as the overall situation of national security and social stability. 

On December 27, 2025, the 19th meeting of the 14th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress voted to pass the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals. This law will come into effect on May 1, 2026. 

The Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals consists of 10 chapters and 127 articles, covering general provisions, planning and layout, production and storage safety, use safety, operation safety, transportation safety, registration of hazardous chemicals, emergency rescue in case of accidents, legal responsibilities, and appendices. What is the background for the introduction of this law and how will it provide strong support for strengthening the management of hazardous chemicals andpreventing and reducing hazardous chemical accidents? Let's find out. 

Carrying out the inherent meaning of putting people first and life first 

Public safety is the most fundamental aspect of people's livelihood. Currently, there are still some prominent problems and weak links in the management of dangerous chemicals. Dangerous chemical accidents occur frequently, which affects the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people. 

"Enhancing the safety management capabilities and standards for hazardous chemicals, and preventing hazardous chemical accidents, is a basic demand of the people and a common aspiration of the entire society," the head of the Social Law Department of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress pointed out in an interview with this magazine. 

In recent years, the State Council and its relevant departments have issued a large number of regulations, rules and normative documents to regulate the safety of hazardous chemicals. For instance, in 2002, the State Council issued the "Regulations on the Safety Management of Hazardous Chemicals", and it was revised twice in 2011 and 2013. This regulation has played a significant role in strengthening the safety management of hazardous chemicals and preventing and reducing hazardous chemical accidents. 

At the same time, it should also be noted that with the rapid development of China's economy, the safety situation of hazardous chemicals production has become increasingly severe. Problems such as inadequate implementation of safety responsibilities, ineffective investigation and rectification of hidden dangers, unsynchronized coordination and cooperation among departments, lagging information-based monitoring methods, insufficient overall planning of chemical industrial parks, and insufficient emergency rescue capabilities are prominent. Therefore, it is necessary to, based on the implementation experience of the "Regulations on the Safety Management of Hazardous Chemicals", formulate a specialized law on the safety of hazardous chemicals, and fix the mature and effective practices in legal form. In addition, it is also necessary to regulate fundamental, overall, stable and long-term issues in the safety work of hazardous chemicals, establish a top-level institutional design for hazardous chemicals safety work, and systematically construct safety management systems covering the entire chain and all links of hazardous chemicals. 

To begin with, the first article of the Dangerous Chemicals Safety Law clearly states: "In order to strengthen the safety management of dangerous chemicals, prevent and reduce dangerous chemical accidents, safeguard the health, life safety and property safety of the people, protect the ecological environment, this law is hereby formulated." At the same time, the fourth article stipulates that the safety management of dangerous chemicals should adhere to putting people first and life first, implement the overall national security concept, coordinate development and security, and adhere to the principle of safety first, prevention first, and comprehensive governance, preventing and resolving major safety risks from the source. 

"Formulating the Safety Law for Hazardous Chemicals, adhering to the principle of putting people first and life first, addressing the issues that have received strong public demands and concentrated public feedback in the field of hazardous chemical safety, and safeguarding the safety of people's lives and property, is a concrete manifestation of the people-centered development philosophy. It also serves to build a safety barrier to fulfill the people's aspiration for a better life." The head of the Social Law Department of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress stated. 

Clarify the overall requirements and refine the safety management regulations 

The hazardous chemicals industry is large in scale, involves multiple industries and has a wide distribution area. It is complex and intricate. How can it be properly organized? The Outline of the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals provides a comprehensive framework, clearly defining the overall requirements for the safety management of hazardous chemicals. 

Firstly, the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals emphasizes that the safety management of hazardous chemicals must be implemented by managing industries, managing business operations, and managing production and operation. Secondly, it requires hazardous chemical units to implement the safety production responsibility system for all staff, establish a dual-prevention mechanism of safety risk classification control and hidden danger investigation and governance, and establish and improve safety management systems and job safety responsibility systems. 

The Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals also clarifies the division of responsibilities among the departments with the duty of supervising the safety of hazardous chemicals, and requires strengthening supervision collaboration and joint law enforcement. For emerging industries and fields where the safety supervision responsibilities are not clearly defined, the competent authorities at the county level and above shall determine the regulatory departments based on the principle of similar business fields. A coordination mechanism for the supervision and management of hazardous chemicals safety shall be established to coordinate and solve major issues in the supervision and management work. Specific provisions shall be made for the supervision and inspection measures of government departments. 

It is worth noting that the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals also stipulates that the government and its relevant departments, chemical industrial parks, hazardous chemical units, and news media should carry out publicity of hazardous chemical safety laws and regulations as well as hazardous chemical safety knowledge. Those who have made outstanding contributions by reporting illegal activities or reporting major accident hazards will be rewarded. 

One of the key focuses of the Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law is to strengthen the safety management of the entire chain and all links of hazardous chemicals. 

On the one hand, the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals covers the entire chain and all aspects of hazardous chemicals. It makes systematic provisions and sets clear requirements for the identification of hazardous chemical properties, the registration of hazardous chemicals, production, storage, use, operation, transportation, as well as emergency rescue systems. 

For instance, Article 3 of the law clearly defines hazardous chemicals as "toxic, corrosive, explosive, flammable, and combustible substances that have harmful effects on humans, facilities, and the environment, and are highly toxic chemicals and other chemicals". The law also stipulates that the state shall establish and improve a directory management system for hazardous chemicals. The State Council's emergency management department, in conjunction with the departments of industry and information technology, public security, environment and ecology, transportation, agriculture and rural affairs, health and wellness, customs, market supervision, railways, and civil aviation, shall, based on the identification and classification standards of the hazardous characteristics of chemicals, determine and publish the directory of hazardous chemicals, and make timely adjustments. 

For another example, Article 7 of the law clearly defines the responsibilities, and stipulates specific requirements for the relevant departments that are responsible for safety supervision and management of hazardous chemicals, including the emergency management department, the public security department, the market supervision department, the environmental protection department, the transportation department, the health department, the natural resources department, the industrial and information technology department, and the customs. These departments are responsible for the production, storage, use, operation, and transportation of hazardous chemicals. 

On the other hand, for the contents that have already been specifically stipulated in other laws, regulations, rules or relevant standards regarding the management of hazardous chemicals, the Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law makes general provisions and ensures compatibility with other laws, regulations, etc., forming a synergy and leaving room for further practical exploration. 

Standardize emergency rescue operations and intensify accountability for violations 

Dangerous chemicals carry high risks. In case of an accident, the consequences would be extremely serious. Preventing safety risks is the top priority in the management of dangerous chemicals. 

The Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals integrates the concept of risk prevention throughout its provisions, and makes specific regulations on hazard investigation, risk assessment, early warning monitoring, etc., highlighting accident prevention and long-term governance. 

For instance, in the area of safety management for the production and storage of hazardous chemicals, the law requires enterprises that produce and store hazardous chemicals to establish a safety risk-based hierarchical control system, strengthen process safety management, install corresponding safety facilities and equipment in the work areas, conduct regular safety evaluations, package hazardous chemicals in accordance with requirements, and properly dispose of relevant equipment, facilities and hazardous chemicals when they undergo production transfer, shutdown, cessation of operations or dissolution. 

In terms of the safety management of the use of hazardous chemicals, it is required that relevant departments strengthen the supervision and management of the use of hazardous chemicals by enterprises, schools, research institutions, medical institutions, testing institutions, and inspection institutions, etc. 

In terms of the safety management of the operation of hazardous chemicals, it is clearly stipulated that the state implements a licensing system for the operation of hazardous chemicals, and specific conditions and requirements for the licensing of hazardous chemical operations are specified. It is required that hazardous chemical production enterprises and operating enterprises provide chemical safety technical instructions when selling hazardous chemicals, verify documents when selling highly toxic chemicals and explosive precursors for making explosives, and report sales and purchase information to the public security authorities for record. It is clearly stated that individuals are not allowed to purchase highly toxic chemicals and explosive precursors for making explosives. The sale and purchase of highly toxic chemicals and explosive precursors for making explosives on the Internet is prohibited. 

Meanwhile, in the face of the risks associated with hazardous chemical accidents, the Hazardous Chemical Safety Law emphasizes that emergency rescue is the last line of defense for protecting the lives and property of the people. A separate chapter is dedicated to stipulating emergency rescue measures, aiming to minimize the impact of the accidents and reduce casualties and property losses to the greatest extent possible. 

In Chapter 8, "Emergency Rescue for Accidents", the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals clearly stipulates that the emergency management departments of local governments at or above the county level, in conjunction with the departments of industry and information technology, public security, environmental protection, transportation, health and wellness, and market supervision, shall, based on the actual conditions of their respective regions, formulate emergency response plans for hazardous chemical accidents, submit them to the local people's governments for approval, and make them public in accordance with the law. Moreover, it is explicitly stated that hazardous chemical units within chemical industrial parks can jointly establish emergency rescue teams. 

After a hazardous chemicals accident occurs, how should the main person in charge of the accident unit respond? How should the on-site duty personnel, team leaders, and dispatchers respond? How should the relevant local people's governments and their relevant departments take necessary emergency response measures to reduce the accident losses, prevent the accident from spreading and escalating? The Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law has detailed provisions in Articles 93, 94, and 95. 

After an accident occurs, what measures should be taken against the responsible parties? The Safety Law of Hazardous Chemicals has strengthened the accountability for illegal acts, stipulating that for violations related to the safety of hazardous chemicals, penalties such as fines, orders to suspend production and business operations, and revocation of licenses will be imposed. For some serious illegal acts, this law, while holding the relevant units legally responsible, also imposes fines on the directly responsible supervisors and other direct responsible personnel. Moreover, the law also stipulates that if the main person in charge of a hazardous chemical unit fails to perform the duties of safety production management and causes a production safety accident, their employment will be restricted in accordance with the law. 

"Safe management of hazardous chemicals fundamentally involves meticulous management throughout the entire process. Every process step, every employee, and every operation action must be carried out with strict and standardized procedures." The head of the Social Law Department of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress said that Article 127 of the Law on Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals is nearly 30,000 words. It not only focuses on top-level institutional design but also roots itself in actual safety management. It makes clear and specific provisions for key and difficult issues in practice, as well as high-risk safety hazard links, in an attempt to provide clear and operational guidelines for regulatory authorities, hazardous chemical units, and employees, ensuring that the law is easy to implement, truly effective, and can be put into practice. 

Overall, the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals adheres to the principle of putting people first and life first, maintains a strict stance, further strengthens the construction of safety systems for hazardous chemicals, and improves a strict responsibility system, effective mechanisms and a complete system of governance. This is a summary and consolidation of the current management experience in the hazardous chemicals sector, as well as a comprehensive overhaul and system upgrade of the hazardous chemicals safety supervision system. We believe that the implementation of the Law on the Safety of Hazardous Chemicals will once again strengthen the "firewall" for hazardous chemicals safety in our country, and safeguard the lives and property safety of the people!

Attachment:  "Safety Law of Hazardous Chemicals of the People's Republic of China.pdf"