CAS 56-81-5 · REACH · European Union

Glycerol (glycerine, propane-1,2,3-triol) under REACH

C3H8O3 · 甘油

Status: Registered. Glycerol is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: closes biodiesel transesterification chain (KOH batch 17 catalyst + methanol batch 3 reactant; ~10% of methanol demand globally + ~25% of KOH demand) + 1 mole glycerol per ~3 moles methyl ester biodiesel produced + light-hazard food / pharmaceutical / cosmetic + light IARC profile claimed in earlier drafts but no published IARC Monograph evaluation has been verified (verify against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications before relying) (NEW combined).** Reg (EC) 1272/2008: NOT classified as carc / mut / repr / acute tox / corrosive / sens / aquatic; effectively **second light-regulatory profile in the dataset alongside sodium chloride batch 16** (REACH-exempt). NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NOT a drug precursor. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin glycerol currently (verify against https://access.trade.gov/ and https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing). NOT in CBAM scope.

Glycerol is fully REACH-registered with **light-regulatory profile** (NOT classified under harmonised CLP at industrial-grade). **Closes biodiesel transesterification chain** (KOH batch 17 catalyst + methanol batch 3 reactant). NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NOT a drug precursor, NOT in CBAM scope. NO active EU AD case. Major Chinese producers: small + medium-scale biodiesel-byproduct + soap-byproduct + epichlorohydrin-route synthesis producers (Sinopec + Wanhua Chemical Yantai for epichlorohydrin route). Production routes: biodiesel byproduct (~60% globally, expanding), soap-byproduct (~15%, declining), epichlorohydrin synthesis (~25%). End-use: food + pharmaceutical + personal-care (~40%), epichlorohydrin upstream feedstock (~20%, closing back to BPA-epoxy chain), polyols / polyether polyol (~15%), tobacco moistening (~10%), cosmetics (~15%).

Import Card

Before you order glycerol (glycerine, propane-1,2,3-triol) from China, see its register listing, the duty, anti dumping cases and a supplier check on one card, each with its source and date.

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Listing and threshold

Substance Glycerol (glycerine, propane-1,2,3-triol) (CAS 56-81-5), C3H8O3
Regime EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Jurisdiction European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

Classifications under this regime

  • NOT classified under harmonised CLP at industrial-grade level
  • No GHS pictograms required at standard industrial-grade
  • NOT classified as carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant
  • NOT classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment
  • IARC: glycerol has not been the subject of a published IARC Monograph evaluation (verify against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications); any "Group 3" attribution in earlier dataset drafts is unverifiable
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID transport classification: not regulated as DG (high-flash-point liquid)
  • EU food additive E 422 permitted under Reg 1333/2008
  • European Pharmacopoeia / Ph. Eur. monograph for pharmaceutical-grade glycerol

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin glycerol currently
  • NOT in CBAM scope
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact: glycerol permitted as plastic food-contact additive + processing aid
  • EU Reg 1223/2009 cosmetic-product: glycerol permitted as humectant + emollient
  • European Pharmacopoeia / Ph. Eur. monograph for pharmaceutical-grade specification

Importer obligations

A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). Light-regulatory profile; routine compliance work. Major Chinese producers: small + medium-scale biodiesel-byproduct producers + soap-byproduct producers + epichlorohydrin-route synthesis producers (Sinopec, Wanhua Chemical Yantai for epichlorohydrin route; Sinograin and many small biodiesel producers for biodiesel byproduct route).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II
  • Customs entry with HS code 152000 (crude glycerol) or HS 290545 (refined glycerol)
  • Certificate of analysis for industrial-grade or food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade specification
  • European Pharmacopoeia conformity declaration for pharmaceutical-grade lots

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • **Light-regulatory profile**: NOT classified under harmonised CLP at industrial-grade; second light profile in dataset alongside sodium chloride batch 16
  • **Closes biodiesel transesterification chain** (KOH batch 17 catalyst + methanol batch 3 reactant); ~10% of methanol demand globally + ~25% of KOH demand. 1 mole glycerol per ~3 moles methyl ester biodiesel produced
  • NOT a drug precursor, NOT in CBAM scope
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese glycerol currently
  • Production routes: biodiesel byproduct (~60% globally, expanding with biodiesel demand growth), soap-byproduct (~15%, declining), epichlorohydrin synthesis route (~25%, dominant in China at Sinopec + Wanhua scale)
  • Major Chinese producers: small + medium-scale biodiesel-byproduct producers + soap-byproduct producers + epichlorohydrin-route synthesis producers
  • End-use mix: food + pharmaceutical + personal-care (~40%, humectant + emollient + sweetener + preservative), epichlorohydrin upstream feedstock (~20%, closing back to BPA-epoxy chain via epichlorohydrin), polyols / polyether polyol (~15%), tobacco moistening (~10%), cosmetics + toothpaste + other (~15%)
  • Glycerol is the simplest sugar-alcohol: triol with three primary OH groups; readily biodegradable

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for glycerol (glycerine, propane-1,2,3-triol), see the CAS 56-81-5 sourcing reference.

For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

5 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 CAS profiles. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

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CAS (1)

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