Vietnam to Introduce National Database by 2019 at Earliest

Vietnam aims to complete its first comprehensive national chemical inventory and database by 2019, an official at its chemicals agency Vinachemia said.

Speaking at the International Chemical Management Conference earlier this month, Nguyen Thi Ha, head of the organisation's Conventions and International Cooperation Division, said that one of its priorities is the development of a national chemical database and inventory.

The government is funding the project with support from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti). The agency published a draft inventory in March 2017.

The new database and inventory aim to reach an effective list of between 300 and 400 chemical substances.

"We expect that we can complete this task at the earliest by 2019," she said.

Details of Decree 113/2017/ND-CP unveiled
During the conference, Ms Ha also introduced the key points of Decree 113/2017/ND-CP which regulates the declaration of manufacturing/import of chemicals. The rules take effect on 25 November and include:

> adding requirement for the bottling and packaging of chemicals;

> adding clear criteria for each list of chemicals based on the Globally Harmonized

> System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) classification;

> removing the current list of toxic chemicals;

> removing the requirement for the registration for the use of chemicals; and
mandating that reporting requirements to be integrated in general reports on all chemical activities.

The aim is to ease numerous onerous or unnecessary restrictions and make some tasks for self-management.