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The government is operating in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions pending the outcome of the 2025 federal election.

Chemicals listed in the Rotterdam Convention

Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention is a list of pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons. If you wish to trade certain Annex III-listed industrial chemicals, you must receive prior authorisation from AICIS.

Tetraethyl lead

This is a highly toxic fuel additive and although it is on the Inventory, the introduction of tetraethyl lead is subject to special conditions. If you wish to import tetraethyl lead, please contact us

List of chemicals subject to import conditions - must apply for authorisation

If you wish to import any of these chemicals, you must apply for annual import authorisation (fee applies).

Section 71 and 72 of the Industrial Chemicals (General) Rules 2019 prohibits the introduction of certain industrial chemicals subject to the Rotterdam Convention without our prior authorisation. Penalties apply for non-compliance.

Note: Importers are responsible for staying informed about the status of Annex III-listed or severely restricted chemicals and any related import responses. This information is published in the PIC Circular.

Chemical nameCAS Number
Commercial octabromodiphenyl ether (including hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether)36483-60-0, 68928-80-3
Commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether (including tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether)32534-81-9, 40088-47-9
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)25637-99-4

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonamides and perfluorooctane sulfonyls, including:

(i) potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(ii) lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(iii) ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(iv) diethanolammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(v) tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(vi) didecyldimethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(vii) N‑ethylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(viii) N‑methylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(ix) N‑ethyl‑N‑(2‑hydroxyethyl) perfluorooctane sulfonamide; and 

(x) N‑(2‑hydroxyethyl)‑N‑methylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(xi) perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride

1691-99-2, 1763-23-1, 24448-09-7, 251099-16-8, 2795-39-3, 29081-56-9, 29457-72-5, 307-35-7, 31506-32-8, 4151-50-2, 56773-42-3, 70225-14-8

Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs) including:

(i) hexabromobiphenyl; and

(ii) octabromobiphenyl; and

(iii) decabromobiphenyl

13654-09-6, 27858-07-7, 36355-01-8
Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP)85535-84-8
*Tetraethyl lead78-00-2
Tetramethyl lead75-74-1
Tributyl tin compounds1461-22-9, 1983-10-4, 2155-70-6, 24124-25-2, 4342-36-3, 56-35-9, 85409-17-2
Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE)1163-19-5
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)*335-67-1
PFOA salts* 

PFOA‑related compounds*, including:

  • any related substance (including its salts and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluoroheptyl group with the formula C7F15- directly attached to another carbon atom as one of the structural elements 
  • any related substance (including its salts and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluorooctyl group with the formula C8F17- as one of the structural elements
 
*Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA‑related compounds does not include:

-    C8F17-X, where X = F, Cl, Br
-    C8F17-C(=O)OH, 
-    C8F17-C(=O)O-X′ (where X′ = any group, including salts) or 
-    C8F17-CF2-X′ (where X′ = any group, including salts)

If your chemical is one of these you must use our Guide to categorising your chemical importation and manufacture to work out your introduction category.

*Tetraethyl lead - This is a highly toxic fuel additive and although it is on the Inventory, the introduction of tetraethyl lead is subject to special conditions. If you wish to import tetraethyl lead, please contact us

List of chemicals subject to export conditions - must apply for authorisation

If you wish to export these chemicals, you must apply for annual export authorisation (fee applies).

Section 73 of the Industrial Chemicals (General) Rules prohibits the export of certain industrial chemicals subject to the Rotterdam Convention without our prior authorisation. Penalties apply for non-compliance.

Note: Exporters are responsible for staying informed about the status of Annex III-listed or severely restricted chemicals and any related export responses. This information is published in the PIC Circular.

Chemical nameCAS number
Commercial octabromodiphenyl ether (including Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenyl ether)36483-60-0, 68928-80-3
Commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether (including tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether)32534-81-9, 40088-47-9
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)25637-99-4

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonamides and perfluorooctane sulfonyls, including:

(i) potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(ii) lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(iii) ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate;

and

(iv) diethanolammonium perfluorooctane

sulfonate; and

(v) tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(vi) didecyldimethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate; and

(vii) N‑ethylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(viii) N‑methylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(ix) N‑ethyl‑N‑(2‑hydroxyethyl) perfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(x) N‑(2‑hydroxyethyl)‑N‑methylperfluorooctane sulfonamide; and

(xi) perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride

1691-99-2, 1763-23-1, 24448-09-7, 251099-16-8, 2795-39-3, 29081-56-9, 29457-72-5, 307-35-7, 31506-32-8, 4151-50-2, 56773-42-3, 70225-14-8

Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBBs), including:

(i) hexabromobiphenyl; and

(ii) octabromobiphenyl; and

(iii) decabromobiphenyl

13654-09-6, 27858-07-7, 36355-01-8
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)1336-36-3
Polychlorinated Terphenyls (PCTs)61788-33-8
Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP)85535-84-8
Tetraethyl lead78-00-2
Tetramethyl lead75-74-1
Tributyl tin compounds1461-22-9, 1983-10-4, 2155-70-6, 24124-25-2, 4342-36-3, 56-35-9, 85409-17-2
Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate126-72-7
Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE)1163-19-5
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)*335-67-1  
PFOA salts* 

PFOA‑related compounds*, including:

  • any related substance (including its salts and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluoroheptyl group with the formula C7F15- directly attached to another carbon atom as one of the structural elements 
  • any related substance (including its salts and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluorooctyl group with the formula C8F17- as one of the structural elements
 

*Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA‑related compounds does not include:

-    C8F17-X, where X = F, Cl, Br
-    C8F17-C(=O)OH, 
-    C8F17-C(=O)O-X′ (where X′ = any group, including salts) or 
-    C8F17-CF2-X′ (where X′ = any group, including salts)

If your chemical is one of these you must use our Guide to categorising your chemical importation and manufacture to work out your introduction category.
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