CAS 100-42-5 · AICIS · Australia

Styrene (vinylbenzene) under AICIS

C8H8 · 苯乙烯

Status: Listed. Styrene is on the AICIS Inventory of Industrial Chemicals as a Listed Industrial Chemical. Australia adopted the GHS classification matching REACH (Repr 2 + STOT RE 1 + Acute Tox. 4 inhalation + Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + Flam. Liq. 3). **SUSMP Schedule 5 (Caution) applies for retail mixtures above concentration cutoffs**. NOT on Australian Drug Control Act precursor list. NO active Australian AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin styrene. Australia has no major domestic styrene production capacity; imports primarily flow to polystyrene + ABS + SBR + unsaturated polyester resin downstream industries (limited domestic polystyrene capacity at recycled-content level). ChAFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

AICIS treats styrene as a routine listed industrial chemical with **SUSMP Schedule 5 (Caution) scheduling for retail mixtures**. The operational compliance work is moderate (annual AICIS registration, WHS-compliant SDS, ADG 7.7 Class 3 transport, ATEX-zoned warehousing for bulk, TBC inhibitor specification verification). **Repr 2 + STOT RE 1 + IARC Group 2A** drive substantial WHS workplace exposure-control overhead. NO active Australian AD/CVD case. ChAFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin styrene competitive. Australia has **no major domestic styrene production**; imports primarily flow to polystyrene + ABS + SBR + unsaturated polyester resin downstream industries. Major Australian downstream consumers: Trinseo Australia (limited polystyrene recycled-content), automotive sector reinforced-plastic-composite manufacturers.

Listing and threshold

Substance Styrene (vinylbenzene) (CAS 100-42-5), C8H8
Regime Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS), administered by the Department of Health
Jurisdiction Australia
Status Listed
Tonnage threshold AICIS introducer registration required for any business introducing >100 kg/year of any industrial chemical

Classifications under this regime

  • Listed Industrial Chemical on AICIS Inventory
  • Australian GHS classification: Flam. Liq. 3 (H226), Repr. 2 (H361d), STOT RE 1 (H372), Acute Tox. 4 inhalation (H332), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS02 + GHS07 + GHS08
  • SUSMP Schedule 5 (Caution) applies for retail mixtures above concentration cutoffs
  • NOT on Australian Drug Control Act precursor list
  • Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG 7.7): Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 2055, Packing Group III
  • Safe Work Australia workplace exposure standard: 50 ppm 8-hr TWA, 100 ppm STEL
  • **IARC: Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans)**

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No AICIS-specific use restrictions for industrial-grade styrene above concentration cutoffs
  • SUSMP Schedule 5 retail packaging rules apply for retail mixtures
  • NO active Australian AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin styrene currently
  • WHS Regulation 2011 hazardous-chemicals handling requirements apply at workplaces handling styrene bulk above declared thresholds
  • NFPA-equivalent flammable liquid storage requirements apply for bulk; ATEX-zoned warehousing may be required
  • ChAFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin styrene (HS 290250)
  • TBC (4-tert-butylcatechol) inhibitor is critical for safe storage and transport (prevents thermal-runaway polymerisation)

Importer obligations

The Australian importer of record must be registered with AICIS (online registration is straightforward and annual). For Listed Industrial Chemicals like styrene no individual chemical assessment is required. SUSMP Schedule 5 applies for retail mixtures. Workplace handling SDS drives WHS hazardous-chemicals register entry at handling facilities; ATEX-zoned warehousing applies for bulk receipt. **Repr 2 + STOT RE 1 + IARC Group 2A** drive substantial WHS workplace exposure-control overhead. Australia has no major domestic styrene production; imports primarily flow to polystyrene + ABS + SBR + unsaturated polyester resin downstream industries. Major Australian downstream consumers: limited polystyrene production (Trinseo Australia recycled-content), Mitsubishi Chemical Australia (BASF + Trinseo competitors), automotive sector reinforced-plastic-composite manufacturers.

Required documents

  • AICIS introducer registration certificate (annual)
  • WHS-compliant Safety Data Sheet (Safe Work Australia model code format) reflecting H226 / H315 / H319 / H332 / H361d / H372 classification
  • Customs entry (ICS / ABF) with HS code 290250
  • ChAFTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 99.7% purity, TBC inhibitor specification)
  • ADG 7.7 Class 3 dangerous-goods transport documentation

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • AICIS registration must be CURRENT at customs clearance
  • WHS hazardous-chemicals register entry required at handling facilities; ATEX-zoned warehousing for bulk
  • SUSMP Schedule 5 (Caution) scheduling for retail mixtures
  • NOT on Australian Drug Control Act precursor list
  • NO active Australian AD/CVD case on Chinese styrene currently
  • ChAFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin styrene competitive vs Korean (LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions, Kumho Petrochemical), Indonesian, Singaporean, Saudi alternatives
  • Australian end-use is dominated by polystyrene + ABS + SBR + unsaturated polyester resin downstream industries
  • **Repr 2 + STOT RE 1 + IARC Group 2A** drive female-of-child-bearing-age workplace protection planning under WHS
  • TBC (4-tert-butylcatechol) inhibitor is critical for safe storage and transport (prevents thermal-runaway polymerisation); typical 10-15 ppm spec

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for styrene (vinylbenzene), see the CAS 100-42-5 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the styrene (vinylbenzene) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of AICIS, see the AICIS glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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