Malaysia has established several chemical safety regulations to protect human health and the environment from potential hazards associated with the use, handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous chemicals. This blog provides an overview of the key chemical safety regulations that are currently in place in Malaysia.

Heavy metals are ubiquitously present in the environment surrounding us. Heavy metals containing ingredients such as thimerosal (mercury) and lead acetate were used as cosmetic ingredients in the past. They were also used as reaction catalysts during chemical synthesis and for manufacturing industrial equipment, containers or closures.

Cleaning product labels are no different than labels for other consumer goods when disclosure of ingredients comes into play. Organizations should exercise safety practices that will protect the consumers and workers during consumption.

The California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 (US Senate Bill 258) was signed into law on October 15, 2017, and came into effect in 2020 and 2021. The regulation and requirements are summarized here for your ready reference:

Plastics are the products of human innovation, and they are stable, durable, lightweight, and most importantly, inexpensive. They are a type of polymer, composed of a chain of polymers. The life we currently live is not possible without these amazing polymers. Unfortunately, our appetite for plastic shows no sign of back-pedal. Plastic pollution has become a global concern, as our planet is drowning in plastic microplastic litter.

Following the guidance in September 2020 on mitigating the risk of nitrosamine impurities in drug products, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has recently suggested alternate approaches to reduce the formation of nitrosamine in certain products. According to the latest update, some methods can be incorporated by manufacturers for the prevention of such contaminations. These approaches are based on reports on certain types of nitrosamine impurities in varied drug types.

Thanks to the rapid development of vaccines and quick vaccinations in major parts of the world, there seem positive developments in all the business sectors towards the growth. However, the threat is persisting in terms of new waves and new variants of COVID. Let us hope we soon get over this and see the brighter side of the business. Even in these darkest times of humankind, few business sectors like Life Sciences are recording good business growth and taking quick strides forward.

It is apparent that COVID-19 has permanently changed the ways of business operations for many industries across the globe. In fact, it has subtly given a renewed purpose to industries to evolve and advance in terms of tech-enabled and automated workflows.

With the dynamic landscape and the new reality due to the pandemic, the chemical industry has undergone a huge shift in demand. In the chemical market, the end of life for certain materials can start something new. Implementing a series of targeted, strategic initiatives across major functional areas can help manufacturers cater to short term demands. However, focusing on the short term does not necessarily mean neglecting long-term opportunities. Manufacturers must generate sustained growth by investing in innovation, emerging applications, and adopting new business models.

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) to protect children and communities from the risks of lead exposure. EPA aims to get the lead out of the drinking water and empower communities through the correct information. According to the recent revision, the new rules includes the following improvements:

Identification of the product category is perhaps the most crucial step to comply with the Regulatory requirements in the European market. The identification process can be quite challenging as many products fall under two (02) or more categories and are affected by different Regulatory frameworks. Such products are referred to as borderline products.