On 21 Aug 2018, Taiwan BAPHIQ (Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan) concluded a technical advisory meeting regarding chlorpyrifos dietary risk mitigation measures. An injunction forbidding its uses on 13 agricultural commodities is expected to be publically consulted on in September.

On 23 Aug 2018, China MoARA consulted on proposed bans of 4 highly toxic insecticides: phorate, aldicarb, isocarbophos and sulfluramid.

On 6 Jun 2018, Chinese SMAR and SAC issued the Standardization Announcement 9 of 2018 to promulgate 393 national standards and 7 English translated standards, of which 5 standards are for household paper products including sanitary napkin, tissue, diaper and household paper adsorbent polymers, etc. This move is one of the achievement of the “Improvement Plan for the Standardization and Quality of Consumer Products”, aimed at boosting domestic consumer market by strengthening technology legislation for priority consumer products including maternal, child, older and handicapped supplies, household appliances, consumer electronics, household decorations, costumes and ornaments, cosmetics and household chemicals, educational and sporting goods, cultural artifact, food and its related products.

On 22 Jun 2018, China NHC revealed that the final edition of the mandatory hygienic standard “Technical Requirements for the Hygienic Safety Assessment on Disinfection Products” has been submitted to the SAC (Standardization Administration) for final approval and promulgation.

On 22 Jun 2018, China NHC, MoARA and SAMR jointly issued the Announcement 6 of 2018 to release the GB 2763.1-2018 and 8 testing methods of pesticide MRLs in food, some of which were publically consulted late last year and to be implemented on 21 Dec 2018.

On 31 May 2018, China MoARA invited a 30-day consultation on 576 MRLs for 118 pesticide active ingredients and 4 testing methods of pesticide residues in plant-origin food.

On 30 May 2018, the Korean Ministry of Environments opened a 40-day public consultation on 2 draft regulations in support of the “Law 1511-Act on the Safety Management of Household Chemical Products and Biocides”. The Act was promulgated on 20 Mar 2018 and will be implemented on the 1st of Jan 2019.

On 28 May 2018, Taiwan EPA solicited opinion on a new charging policy for environmental agents. Administrative charges on certain registration and license categories would be doubled and charging scope would expand to include pesticide for export only purpose, experimental use permit (EUP) and certificate supporting tariff reduction for imported technical materials.

On 25 Apr 2018, Shanghai NHC hosted an internal workshop to clarify common technical and regulatory issues which arose during the trial opening of the national electronic filing system of disinfection products. The new system collects safety assessment reports, product information and company details of all existing disinfection products. It was also revealed that a new inventory of antimicrobial ingredients is expected to be released this year which will define the scope of general household products and disinfection products. In future household products using biocidal ingredients and ambiguous efficacy labeling claims will no longer be able to evade filing or NHC's apprval requirements.

China NHC recently revealed that the amendment to the national standard, “GB 26369-2010 hygienic standard for quaternary ammonium disinfectants”, has been finalized and the revised edition has been submitted to the SAC (Standardization Administration) for final approval.