CAS 75-56-9 · IECSC · People's Republic of China

Propylene oxide (1,2-epoxypropane) under IECSC

C3H6O · 环氧丙烷

Status: Listed. Propylene oxide is on the IECSC public portion as a foundational propylene oxide and downstream polyether polyol / polyurethane chain feedstock. New-substance notification under MEE Decree No. 7 (2010) is NOT required. **PO IS on China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals** (Carc 1B + Muta 1B + Acute Tox. 3 + Flam. Liq. 1 classification matching EU REACH harmonised). Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit IS required for production / storage / distribution. NOT on Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog (lighter than EO batch 28 which IS on Highly Toxic Catalog). NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Precursor Chemicals Catalog. **0% China VAT export rebate** for PO (HS 291020). China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~10-12 Mt/yr).

PO is comfortably IECSC-listed but IS on Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals (Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit chain required). NOT on Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog (lighter than EO batch 28). NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Catalog. **0% China VAT export rebate**. China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~10-12 Mt/yr) led by **Wanhua Chemical Yantai (a leading HPPO producer with HPPO plus chlorohydrin capacity; verify the most recent HPPO nameplate against the Wanhua Chemical investor site before quoting world-leading rank)**, Sinopec Yangzi + Sinopec Shanghai, Zhejiang Petrochemical / ZRCC (HPPO), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian (HPPO), Lyondell-Sinopec joint ventures. Production routes: chlorohydrin (~30% legacy), HPPO (~30% growing as preferred new route), PO/SM co-process (~25%), TBA / MTBE co-product (~15%). MEE 2024 guidance prefers HPPO + PO/SM co-process; restricts new chlorohydrin route capacity. **HPPO route is preferred for new capacity** (cleaner waste profile than chlorohydrin). Chinese PO is exportable as bulk (vs EO batch 28 which is structurally captive). Capacity additions 2024-2026 extend Chinese dominance toward ~52-55%.

Listing and threshold

Substance Propylene oxide (1,2-epoxypropane) (CAS 75-56-9), C3H6O
Regime China Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (IECSC), administered by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
Jurisdiction People's Republic of China
Status Listed
Tonnage threshold No new-substance threshold applies. Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit required regardless of volume

Classifications under this regime

  • Listed in China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals
  • NOT on China's Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog (lighter than EO batch 28)
  • NOT on the Easily-Made Drugs Precursor Chemicals Catalog
  • GB/T 14491-2013 specification applies for industrial-grade PO (Chinese national standard)
  • GB/T 14491-2013 covers minimum 99.95% purity (industrial-grade), water content, aldehyde content, acidity, propylene oxide assay
  • GACC export classification: HS 291020 (propylene oxide)
  • China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~10-12 Mt/yr); production routes ~30% chlorohydrin (legacy), ~30% HPPO (Wanhua + Zhejiang + Hengli new capacity), ~25% PO/SM co-process (Lyondell-Sinopec), ~15% other
  • GB 6944-2012 dangerous-goods transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1280, PG I

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • **Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit IS required** for any party producing, storing, or distributing PO
  • Hazardous Chemicals Road Transport Permit required for road shipment of bulk PO
  • Customs Inspection Order may apply for export consignments
  • **0% China VAT export rebate** for PO (HS 291020)
  • GB/T 17519 Chinese-language SDS required for domestic distribution
  • MEE 2024 guidance prefers HPPO + PO/SM co-process; restricts new chlorohydrin route capacity
  • Chinese capacity additions 2024-2026 (Wanhua Chemical Yantai HPPO Phase 4, Zhejiang Petrochemical Phase 3 HPPO, Hengli Petrochemical HPPO) extend Chinese dominance toward ~52-55%

Importer obligations

For Chinese-origin PO exported abroad, no IECSC obligation falls on the foreign importer. The export-side documentation pack focuses on the Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit chain (producer / forwarder / port operator each hold permits), the GB/T 17519 Chinese-language SDS, and ADG 7.7 Class 3 transport documentation. Major Chinese producers: **Wanhua Chemical Yantai (a leading HPPO producer with HPPO plus chlorohydrin capacity; verify the most recent HPPO nameplate against the Wanhua Chemical investor site before quoting world-leading rank)**, Sinopec Yangzi + Sinopec Shanghai, Zhejiang Petrochemical / ZRCC (HPPO), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian (HPPO), Lyondell-Sinopec joint ventures. The dominant economic story for Chinese-origin PO is **HPPO leadership of Wanhua + Zhejiang Petrochemical** integrated with downstream polyether polyol / polyurethane chain. Chinese PO is exportable as bulk (vs EO batch 28 which is structurally captive).

Required documents

  • GACC export declaration with HS code 291020
  • Industrial-grade certificate per GB/T 14491-2013 (minimum 99.95% purity)
  • GHS-compliant SDS in Simplified Chinese per GB/T 17519-2013 (effective 31 January 2014, references UN GHS 4th revised edition; verify against the current version of GB/T 17519 at https://www.codeofchina.com/standard/GBT17519-2013.html)
  • Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit chain documentation
  • Hazardous Chemicals Road Transport Permit (where road-shipped from inland producers)
  • GB 6944-2012 Class 3 dangerous-goods transport documentation

Common compliance traps

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

  • Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit chain is the dominant operational complexity
  • **0% China VAT export rebate**
  • NOT on Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog (lighter than EO batch 28)
  • NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Catalog
  • Major Chinese producers: **Wanhua Chemical Yantai (world's largest HPPO producer)**, Sinopec Yangzi + Sinopec Shanghai, Zhejiang Petrochemical / ZRCC (HPPO), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian (HPPO), Lyondell-Sinopec joint ventures
  • Production routes: chlorohydrin (~30% legacy), HPPO (~30% growing as preferred new route), PO/SM co-process (~25%), TBA / MTBE co-product (~15%)
  • **HPPO route preferred for new capacity**: cleaner waste profile than chlorohydrin (chlorohydrin generates substantial calcium chloride waste); Chinese capacity additions 2024-2026 predominantly HPPO
  • Chinese PO is exportable as bulk (vs EO batch 28 which is structurally captive due to Class 2.3 toxic gas)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for propylene oxide (1,2-epoxypropane), see the CAS 75-56-9 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the propylene oxide (1,2-epoxypropane) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

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

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