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Record keeping for exempted introductions – polymers of low concern (PLC)

You must keep certain records for introductions of polymers of low concern, which you’ve categorised as exempted. You must provide these records within 20 working days if we ask for them.

On this page

Before you read this page’s content, make sure you’ve already read and understood the information on our record-keeping overview page.

Records you must keep

The type of records you must keep for polymers of low concern (PLC) depends on whether you know the CAS number, CAS name, IUPAC name or eligible INCI plant extract name.

An introducer is taken to know the CAS number, CAS name, IUPAC name, or eligible INCI plant extract name if it would be reasonably practicable for them to find out that number/name.

This means introducers must proactively try to find this information, including checking for it with their chemical supplier.  

Chemical identity

  • If you know the CAS number – written or electronic record of the CAS number for the chemical and one of the following:
    • CAS name
    • IUPAC name or 
    • INCI name for the chemical.
  • If you don’t know the CAS number or it is not assigned, and you don’t know the CAS name, IUPAC name or eligible INCI plant extract name – written or electronic record of:
    • names you use to refer to the chemical
    • name of the person or business who you believe (on reasonable grounds) would give the CAS number (if assigned), and the CAS name, IUPAC name or eligible INCI plant extract name of the chemical, if requested by the introducer, following a request from the Executive Director
    • why you believe the information holder will give the required information to AICIS. For example, this could be information in an email from the chemical identity holder or minutes of a meeting. 

Polymer criteria

If you know your polymer's identity

You must have records to demonstrate that your polymer meets the polymer of low concern (PLC) criteria – see checkboxes below.

If someone else holds information about your polymer’s identity

You must have records showing all 3 below:

  1.  Why you believe your introduction meets the polymer of low concern (PLC) criteria. These criteria are detailed in the checkboxes below.
  2. The name of the person or business who you believe (on reasonable grounds) would give AICIS the records to demonstrate that the PLC criteria are met, if requested by you, following a request from the Executive Director. 
  3. Why you believe the information holder will give the required information to AICIS. For example, this could be information in an email from the holder of the information or minutes of a meeting.
  • Records to prove your chemical meets our definition of a polymer. We’ll accept a GPC analysis report. 

See our definition of a polymer.

View our polymer of low concern criteria page if you need help or more information about any of the following 

  • Records to prove that your polymer:

    • contains approved elements only; and
    • does not contain any difluoromethylene or trifluoromethyl groups

    We’ll accept chemical identity information on the polymer constituents and a representative structural formula of your polymer.

  • Records to prove either A, B or C:

    1. The number average molecular weight (NAMW) of your polymer is greater than or equal to 10,000 g/mol and your polymer has:

      • less than 2% (by mass) of molecules with molecular weight less than 500 g/mol; and
      • less than 5% (by mass) of molecules with molecular weight less than 1,000 g/mol.

      We’ll accept a GPC analysis report.

    2. The NAMW of your polymer is greater than or equal to 1,000 g/mol and less than 10,000 g/mol and your polymer has:

      • less than 10% (by mass) of molecules with molecular weight less than 500 g/mol; and
      • less than 25% (by mass) of molecules with molecular weight less than 1,000 g/mol; and
      • a combined (total) functional group equivalent weight (FGEW) of greater than or equal to 5,000 g/mol if the polymer includes high-concern reactive functional groups (taking into account all high concern reactive functional groups and any moderate concern functional groups included in the polymer), or a combined FGEW of greater than or equal to 1,000 g/mol if the polymer includes moderate-concern reactive functional groups and does not include high concern reactive functional groups (taking into account all moderate concern reactive functional groups included in the polymer).

      We’ll accept a GPC analysis report and associated calculations.

    3. Your polymer is a polyester manufactured solely from prescribed reactants. We’ll accept chemical identity information on the polymer constituents. 
  • Records to prove your polymer has a low cationic density. You’ll need to prove one of the following:
    • your polymer is not a cationic polymer or is not likely to become a cationic polymer in a natural aquatic environment (4<pH<9), if applicable. We’ll accept a representative structural formula of your polymer.
    • the combined (total) FGEW of cationic, or potentially cationic groups is at least 5000 g/mol. We'll accept a GPC analysis report and associated calculations.
    • your polymer is not soluble (less than 0.1 mg/L) or dispersible in water and will only be used in solid phase (for example, ion exchange beads). We’ll accept a study report and information on how the polymer will be used.
  • Records to prove your polymer is stable under the conditions in which it is used. The information we’ll accept depends on your polymer and how it will be used.
  • Records to prove your polymer does not have any known hazard classification. We’ll accept an SDS.
  • If the NAMW for the polymer is greater than or equal to 10,000 g/mol – records to prove one of the following:
    • your polymer is not introduced in a particulate form. We’ll accept an SDS or product information sheet that indicates the appearance.
    • the particle size of your polymer is greater than or equal to 10 micrometres (microns). We’ll accept an SDS or product information sheet that indicates the appearance (for example, as pellets) or a study report.
    • your polymer is not capable of absorbing its own weight in water. We’ll accept a study report (for example, a study showing that the polymer does not form a gel in water or, if it does, that the gel dissolves upon adding more water).
  • If the NAMW for the polymer is greater than 70,000 g/mol – records to prove one of the following:
    • the polymer is not aerosolised during end use. We’ll accept information on the end use of your polymer.
    • the solubility of the polymer in water is greater than or equal to 0.1 mg/L. We’ll accept a study report.

Introduction requirements

You will also need the following records:

  • Records to prove your chemical is not one that cannot be exempted or reported at step 1 of the categorisation process. That is:
    • isn’t listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention* or 
    • isn't listed in Part 1 of Annex A, B or C of the Stockholm Convention* 
    • the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee has not decided that your chemical meets the POPs screening criteria set out in Annex D of the Stockholm Convention*
    • the AICIS Executive Director has not decided that your chemical meets the Annex D screening criteria for POPs while making the decision about issuing an assessment certificate for that chemical*
    • the AICIS Executive Director has not decided that your chemical meets the Annex D screening criteria for POPs based on an AICIS evaluation done on that chemical*

    • your chemical isn’t listed on the Inventory with conditions of introduction or use that will be contravened

      We'll accept a signed and dated declaration that these checks took place. 

      *unless it is introduced solely for use in research or analysis and the amount that you introduce in a registration year does not exceed 100kg.

How to print the checklist

Use your browser to print the record-keeping checklist content on this page by:

  1. clicking the print button at the top-right this page / or pressing Ctrl P 
  2. selecting your printer or choosing the 'Save as PDF' option.
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