19 December 2025
From the AICIS Executive Director
Dear Stakeholders
In 2025, we strengthened our foundations, embraced innovation and worked closely with you to ensure our scheme continues to meet the highest standards. We continued to play our part in protecting Australia’s people and the environment through scientific risk assessment of industrial chemicals, compliance monitoring and case management, and other activities that support these functions.
In July, we implemented changes to help introducers meet reporting obligations for listed introductions of chemicals with a Specific Information Requirement (SIR). These improvements were shaped by public feedback and resulted in redesigned SIR online forms, links to relevant assessment reports from Inventory chemical records, and new guidance to help businesses meet these requirements.
In October, we announced an evaluation of 522 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), aligning with global regulatory actions and initiatives in jurisdictions such as Canada, the USA and the EU. To support this evaluation, we used the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 for the first time to require registrants to give information on whether they imported, manufactured or used any of these PFAS. We will use this information to guide the prioritisation of future PFAS risk assessments.
Our regulatory focus on PFAS this year also included publication of information requirements for certificate applications involving high-hazard fluorinated chemicals (referred to as designated fluorinated chemicals), including PFAS, new to Australia.
Looking ahead to 2026, AICIS will continue to provide clear information about the risks of using industrial chemicals and to strengthen trust in the regulatory system. We will achieve this through risk assessments of priority chemicals, transparency, and risk-proportionate regulatory obligations, ensuring that continuous improvement and protection go hand in hand.
This is made possible by the dedication, expertise and professionalism of AICIS’s staff, and by your collaboration and readiness to engage with us.
On behalf of AICIS, I wish you a happy, safe and restful holiday season.
Regards
Graeme Barden
Evaluations finalised
We've published 8 evaluations on the human health and environmental risks associated with the use of certain chemicals on the Inventory. These include:
- Azo dyes based on 5-nitro-2-thiazolamine and toluenediamine derivatives
- Urea, N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethyl- (Diuron)
- Zinc and zinc manufacturing by-products
- 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1,1′-[(1-methylethylidene)di-4,1-phenylene] ester (Bisphenol A dimethacrylate)
- Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, 2-ethylhexyl ester (Ethylhexyl salicylate)
- Halons listed on the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989
Our Rolling Action Plan includes updates to evaluations in progress.
We'd also like to advise that we've extended the completion date for our evaluation of phenol, 4,4'-thiobis[2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-5-methyl- to 30 June 2026.
Reminder – have your say
Revisions to the Categorisation Guidelines in 2026
Consultation period closes 28 January 2026
Regulatory notices
Correction of chemical names on the Inventory
We have updated the names of 89 chemicals on the Inventory to the CAS name. These corrections do not change the identity of the chemical substances themselves.
Chemicals added to the Inventory 5 years after issue of assessment certificate
CAS number: 900151-37-3 – read the 9 December 2025 notice
CAS number: 173904-11-5 – read the 2 December 2025 notice
Chemical added to the Inventory after issue of assessment certificate
CAS number: 98969-19-8
