CAS 75-21-8 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Ethylene oxide (oxirane) under K-REACH

C2H4O · 环氧乙烷

Status: Registered. EO is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). Korean GHS classification matches REACH (Carc 1A + Muta 1B + Press. Gas + Flam. Gas 1A + Acute Tox. 3 inhalation + STOT SE 3 + STOT RE 2). **EO IS on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list**: TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 + formaldehyde batch 18 + benzene batch 22 + aniline batch 26 + butadiene batch 27 patterns). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. **Korea has substantial domestic EO production at Yeosu** (LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions, Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals) integrated upstream of MEG (batch 8) + ethanolamine + surfactant production; structurally balanced. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports (rare due to bulk-trade limitation).

K-REACH treats EO as a routine PEC-registered substance but **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner overhead**. Korea has **substantial domestic EO production at Yeosu** (LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions, Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals) integrated upstream of MEG (batch 8) + ethanolamine + surfactant production. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply (rare due to bulk-trade limitation). **Ethylene oxide distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: most-restricted production substance + Carc 1A + Muta 1B + Press. Gas + IARC Group 1 + EPA TSCA Section 6 active risk-management rule (40 CFR Part 751 Subpart D) finalised 2024 + EPA NESHAP Hospital + Commercial Sterilizer Rules 2023-2024 + heaviest ongoing US regulatory activity in dataset + structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk + ethylene glycol (MEG batch 8) downstream chain (~75% of demand).

Listing and threshold

Substance Ethylene oxide (oxirane) (CAS 75-21-8), C2H4O
Regime Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction Republic of Korea
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

  • Korean GHS classification: Flam. Gas 1A (H220), Press. Gas, Carc. 1A (H350), Muta. 1B (H340), Acute Tox. 3 inhalation (H331), STOT SE 3 (H335), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), STOT RE 2 (H373)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS02 + GHS04 + GHS06 + GHS08
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 1 ppm 8-hr TWA
  • **Listed in Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list**
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 291010
  • **IARC: Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans)**

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required**
  • Chemical Accident Prevention Plan (CAPP) may be required at handling facilities
  • Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required at workplace
  • Korea Customs Service requires K-REACH registration number on import declaration
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin EO currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies (rare due to bulk-trade limitation)

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner-facing overhead**. **EO is structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk**; standalone EO import is rare. Korea has substantial domestic EO production at Yeosu (LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions, Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals) integrated upstream of MEG (batch 8) + ethanolamine + surfactant production. Korean downstream consumers: LG Chem (MEG chain via PTA + polyester), Lotte Chemical (MEG chain), Hanwha Solutions (surfactant + ethanolamine chain), Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals (MEG chain).

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS reflecting H220 / H315 / H319 / H331 / H335 / H340 / H350 / H373 classification
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 291010
  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit** at destination facility
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 99.9% purity)

Common compliance traps

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

  • Korean GHS hazard-statement codes use H-codes mapped to Korean translations; SDS in English-only is rejected
  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner overhead**
  • Korea has substantial domestic EO production at Yeosu (LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions, Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals) integrated upstream of MEG + ethanolamine + surfactant production
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies; verify producer-specific eligibility
  • No active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese EO currently
  • **EO is structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk**; intra-complex captive consumption dominates
  • Korean downstream consumers: LG Chem (MEG chain), Lotte Chemical (MEG chain), Hanwha Solutions (surfactant + ethanolamine chain), Samsung TotalEnergies Petrochemicals (MEG chain)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for ethylene oxide (oxirane), see the CAS 75-21-8 sourcing reference.

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

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-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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