The Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 established the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) to regulate the importation and manufacture (introduction) of industrial chemicals in Australia.
AICIS replaced the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) on 1 July 2020. The AICIS regulates chemicals (including polymers) introduced for an industrial use, such as in inks, paints, adhesives, solvents, cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning products, as well as in manufacturing, construction, and mining applications and to promote the safe use of industrial chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment.
Importers and manufacturers (introducers) of industrial chemicals for commercial purposes need to register their business under this scheme. All industrial chemical introducers must categorise their chemical importation or manufacture (introduction) into the following categories i.e., Listed introduction, exempted introduction, reported introduction, assessed introduction, commercial evaluation before placing into Australian territory.
If the introduction is listed in the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (the Inventory), then it is categorized as Listed introduction, and can be placed in the market in complying with the regulatory obligations (if any). If the introduction is not in the listed category, then it must be authorized into any one of the other categories.
Annual Declaration
Regardless of the introduction category, one must submit an annual declaration between August 1 and November 30 each year. This declaration is to make about the industrial chemicals imported or manufactured in the previous registration year and confirms that introductions were authorized under Australian laws.
