CAS 64-17-5 · REACH · European Union

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) under REACH

C2H6O · 乙醇

Status: Registered. Ethanol is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: alongside methanol batch 3 + KOH batch 17 biodiesel transesterification chain (ethanol biodiesel less common globally vs methanol biodiesel) + fuel-grade ethanol blending mandates (E10 + E15 + E85 gasoline blends, ~70% globally driven by US + Brazil) + sugarcane / corn fermentation route (~70% globally) vs ethylene hydration synthetic route (~30%) + IARC Group 1 for alcoholic-beverage consumption (not industrial use) + extensive alcoholic-beverage taxation regime parallel to industrial regulation + closes glycerol batch 35 chain via biodiesel co-production (NEW combined).** Reg (EC) 1272/2008 harmonised: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225) + Eye Irrit. 2 (H319). NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV.

Ethanol is fully REACH-registered with **light occupational hazard profile** (Flam. Liq. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 only). **Fuel-grade blending mandates drive ~70% of global demand**. NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NOT in CBAM Phase 1. Major Chinese producers: COFCO Biotech (corn-fermentation), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (synthetic ethylene hydration), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan. Brazilian Raizen + Cosan + Crystalsev + Copersucar dominate global supply via sugarcane fermentation. US ADM + POET + Valero dominate corn-fermentation. End-use: fuel-grade blending (~70%), industrial solvent (~10%), food / beverage / pharmaceutical / sanitiser (~10%), chemical feedstock (~5%), other (~5%).

Listing and threshold

Substance Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) (CAS 64-17-5), C2H6O
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

  • Harmonised CLP classification: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225, "highly flammable liquid and vapour"), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319)
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation mark)
  • **IARC: Group 1 for alcoholic beverages carcinogenic to humans** (Volume 44 covered alcohol drinking in 1988; Volume 96, 2010 covered "Alcohol consumption and ethyl carbamate"; Volume 100E, 2012 covered "Personal habits and indoor combustions" including consumption of alcoholic beverages; verify exact volume / endpoint pairing against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications before relying). Note: classification applies to alcoholic-beverage consumption, NOT industrial use; ethanol per se via inhalation is not separately IARC-classified
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1170 (denatured) / UN 1170 (undenatured)
  • EU food additive E 1510 permitted under Reg 1333/2008
  • European Pharmacopoeia / Ph. Eur. monograph for pharmaceutical-grade ethanol
  • EU Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II + RED III) + Renewable Fuel Standard alignment for fuel-grade ethanol blending

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 industrial-grade ethanol currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
  • EU Reg 110/2008 + Reg 2019/787 spirit drinks regulation for alcoholic-beverage ethanol
  • EU Renewable Energy Directive II / RED II + RED III blending mandates for fuel-grade ethanol

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). Major Chinese producers: COFCO Biotech (Jilin + Heilongjiang fermentation), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (ethylene hydration synthetic), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan. Brazilian Raizen + Cosan + Crystalsev + Copersucar dominate global supply via sugarcane fermentation. US Archer Daniels Midland + POET + Valero dominate corn-fermentation supply (driven by Renewable Fuel Standard).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II reflecting H225 / H319 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS02 + GHS07 pictograms and DANGER signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 220720 (denatured) or 220710 (undenatured >80% alcohol)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 3, UN 1170)
  • 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.

  • **Fuel-grade ethanol blending mandates (E10 + E15 + E85)** drive ~70% of global demand structurally
  • Production routes: sugarcane / corn fermentation (~70% globally; Brazilian + US + Chinese capacity), ethylene hydration synthetic (~30%; Saudi + European + some Chinese)
  • **IARC Group 1 for alcoholic-beverage consumption, NOT industrial use**
  • Brazilian sugarcane-fermented ethanol carries lower carbon footprint than US corn-fermented (Brazilian sugarcane has highest yield + lowest cost globally)
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese industrial-grade ethanol currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
  • Major Chinese producers: COFCO Biotech (Jilin + Heilongjiang corn-fermentation; capacity restricted by Beijing food-security policy), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (ethylene hydration), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan
  • End-use mix: fuel-grade ethanol blending (~70%, US + Brazil + EU + China gasoline blends), industrial solvent (~10%), food / beverage / pharmaceutical / sanitiser (~10%), chemical feedstock / EVA chain (~5%), other (~5%)
  • Beijing food-security policy restricts new corn-fermentation capacity in China; preference for cassava + cellulosic + synthetic routes

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for ethanol (ethyl alcohol), see the CAS 64-17-5 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the ethanol (ethyl alcohol) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

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

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