CAS 71-43-2 · REACH · European Union

Benzene under REACH

C6H6 · 苯

Status: Restricted. Benzene is fully registered under REACH at the highest tonnage band (>1,000,000 tonnes/year) but **carries the heaviest BTX trio regulatory burden by intrinsic hazard**. **Distinguishing pattern: most-hazardous BTX trio member (after toluene batch 20 + xylene batch 21) + IARC Group 1 carcinogen since 1979 + Carc 1A (H350) + Muta 1B (H340) + most-restricted aromatic in REACH Annex XVII + downstream feedstock chain to phenol batch 13 + acetone batch 15 + caprolactam batch 14 + nylon chain.** Reg (EC) 1272/2008 harmonised classification: Carc 1A + Muta 1B + STOT RE 1 (blood) + Asp. Tox. 1 + Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + Flam. Liq. 2. **EU Annex XVII Restriction 5** (Reg 1907/2006 since 1979 with revisions): benzene >0.1% in retail products + toys + paints + finished goods restricted. NOT SVHC (kept off SVHC because of essential industrial use). NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin benzene currently. NOT a drug precursor.

Benzene carries the **heaviest BTX trio regulatory burden by intrinsic hazard**: Carc 1A (H350) + Muta 1B (H340) + STOT RE 1 (blood) + IARC Group 1 since 1979. The most-imminent practitioner watch-item is **Directive 2004/37/EC OEL transition to 0.66 mg/m³ 8-hr TWA from 5 April 2026** (transition from current 3.25 mg/m³ = 1 ppm). **Annex XVII Restriction 5** (>0.1% in retail products + toys + paints + finished goods) is the dominant downstream compliance layer. NOT SVHC (kept off because of essential industrial use). NO active EU AD case. NOT in CBAM Phase 1. Major Chinese producers: Sinopec (Yangzi + Shanghai + Maoming + Yueyang), CNPC (Karamay + Jilin + Daqing), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Zhejiang Petrochemical Zhoushan / ZRCC. China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~40-45 Mt/yr). **BTX trio chain economics couple benzene + toluene + xylene markets**. Downstream feedstock chain dominates: ethylbenzene → styrene → polystyrene + ABS (~50%), cumene → phenol batch 13 + acetone batch 15 (~20%), cyclohexane → caprolactam batch 14 + adipic acid + nylon (~12%), nitrobenzene → aniline → MDI / TDI (~10%), other (~8%).

Listing and threshold

Substance Benzene (CAS 71-43-2), C6H6
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 Restricted
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"), Carc. 1A (H350, "may cause cancer"), Muta. 1B (H340, "may cause genetic defects"), STOT RE 1 (H372, blood + bone marrow), Asp. Tox. 1 (H304, "may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways"), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319)
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation mark), GHS08 (health hazard, carcinogen / mutagen / target organ)
  • **IARC: Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans) since 1979 IARC Monograph 7; reaffirmed multiple times**
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1114, Packing Group II
  • WHO Air Quality Guidelines: no safe level (carcinogen). EU air quality limit: 5 µg/m³ annual mean (Directive 2008/50/EC)

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC (kept off SVHC because of essential industrial use)
  • **Annex XVII Restriction 5** (Reg 1907/2006 since 1979 with revisions): benzene >0.1% in retail products + toys + paints + finished goods restricted
  • EU Cosmetic Products Regulation 1223/2009 Annex II prohibits benzene in cosmetic products
  • Reg 10/2011 food-contact: benzene specific migration limit (SML "ND" non-detectable) for plastic food-contact materials
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin benzene currently
  • Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope; potential Phase 2 candidate post-2026 review
  • EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) requires permitting for installations producing benzene
  • EU Petrol Vapour Recovery Directive 94/63/EC + 2009/126/EC controls benzene emissions during fuel handling
  • EU Directive 2004/37/EC Carcinogens and Mutagens at Work: occupational exposure limit 0.66 mg/m³ 8-hr TWA from 5 April 2026 (currently 1 ppm = 3.25 mg/m³ until 5 April 2026 transition end)

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). The dominant practitioner-facing layer for benzene is **Annex XVII Restriction 5 compliance + Directive 2004/37/EC Carcinogens and Mutagens at Work occupational exposure limit transition** (0.66 mg/m³ 8-hr TWA from 5 April 2026). **Carc 1A + Muta 1B + STOT RE 1 (blood) + IARC Group 1 hazard profile drives the heaviest workplace exposure-control overhead in the dataset alongside formaldehyde batch 18**. Major Chinese producers (Sinopec Yangzi + Sinopec Shanghai + Sinopec Maoming + Sinopec Yueyang, CNPC Karamay + CNPC Jilin + CNPC Daqing, Hengli Petrochemical Dalian, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Zhejiang Petrochemical Zhoushan / ZRCC) compete with EU domestic producers (BP / INEOS Hull, Shell Chemicals Pernis, BASF Ludwigshafen, ExxonMobil Antwerp).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II in destination Member State language(s) reflecting H225 / H304 / H315 / H319 / H340 / H350 / H372 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS02 + GHS07 + GHS08 pictograms and DANGER signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 290220 (benzene)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 3, UN 1114, PG II)
  • **Annex XVII Restriction 5 conformity declaration** for downstream finished-product manufacturers
  • Reg 1223/2009 cosmetic-product compliance documentation where applicable
  • **Directive 2004/37/EC compliance documentation** for occupational-exposure-limit compliance from 5 April 2026 (0.66 mg/m³ 8-hr TWA)

Common compliance traps

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

  • **Directive 2004/37/EC OEL transition to 0.66 mg/m³ 8-hr TWA from 5 April 2026** is the most-imminent practitioner watch-item for benzene (transition from current 3.25 mg/m³ = 1 ppm)
  • **Carc 1A + Muta 1B + STOT RE 1 (blood) + IARC Group 1 hazard profile** drives the heaviest workplace exposure-control overhead in the dataset alongside formaldehyde batch 18
  • **Annex XVII Restriction 5** (>0.1% in retail products + toys + paints + finished goods) is the dominant downstream finished-product compliance layer
  • NOT a drug precursor (lighter than acetone batch 15 + methanol batch 3 + sulfuric acid batch 2)
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese benzene currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope but EU revision may extend; long-term watch-item
  • Major Chinese producers: Sinopec (Yangzi + Shanghai + Maoming + Yueyang), CNPC (Karamay + Jilin + Daqing), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Zhejiang Petrochemical Zhoushan / ZRCC. China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~40-45 Mt/yr)
  • BTX trio chain economics: benzene + toluene + xylene markets coupled via naphtha reformer + steam-cracker pyrolysis-gasoline integrated economics
  • Downstream feedstock chain: ethylbenzene → styrene → polystyrene + ABS (~50%), cumene → phenol batch 13 + acetone batch 15 (~20%), cyclohexane → caprolactam batch 14 + adipic acid + nylon (~12%), nitrobenzene → aniline → MDI / TDI (~10%), other (~8%)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for benzene, see the CAS 71-43-2 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the benzene 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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