What is the tonnage threshold for REACH on triethanolamine (tea)?

Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

CAS 102-71-6 · REACH · European Union

Triethanolamine (TEA) under REACH

C6H15NO3 · 三乙醇胺

Status: Registered. Triethanolamine is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: produced as TEA fraction of alkanolamine product slate from ammonia + ethylene oxide reaction (TEA fraction maximised at 1:3+ NH3 : EO molar ratio); major downstream uses are cement-grinding aid (~30 to 40% of global TEA consumption, in cement clinker grinding to improve mill throughput + early strength) + cosmetics (TEA-stearate + TEA-laureth sulphate emulsifier + pH-adjuster in lotions + creams + shampoos) + corrosion inhibitor (cutting fluids + boiler-water treatment + metal-cleaning) + photographic developer + surfactant + ag intermediate + textile-processing auxiliary. TEA has lighter hazard profile than DEA (NOT Carc. 2; IARC Group 3 not classifiable in Volume 101 (verify year against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/), distinct from DEA Group 2B in same Volume).** NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin triethanolamine currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing). **EU Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 permits TEA in cosmetics with concentration + pH + nitrosamine-precursor controls** (verify exact conditions against EUR-Lex per Annex). **NOT on EU Drug Precursors Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 + Regulation (EU) 2015/1011 scheduled list** (verify against EUR-Lex before relying).

Triethanolamine is fully REACH-registered with light hazard profile (Eye Irrit. 2 + Skin Irrit. 2; DISTINCT from DEA Carc. 2 H351). **IARC Group 3 (not classifiable) Volume 101 (verify year against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/), DISTINCT from DEA Group 2B in same Volume**. NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD. **EU Cosmetic Products Regulation permits TEA with concentration + pH + nitrosamine-precursor controls (DISTINCT from DEA Annex II prohibition)**. **Cement-grinding aid ~30 to 40% + cosmetics + corrosion inhibitor + photographic developer + surfactant downstream chains**.

Listing and threshold

Substance	Triethanolamine (TEA) (CAS 102-71-6), C6H15NO3
Regime	EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Jurisdiction	European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Status	Registered
Tonnage threshold	Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

Classifications under this regime

Eye Irrit. 2: H319 + Skin Irrit. 2: H315 (light hazard profile, distinct from DEA Carc. 2) per harmonised CLP (verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying)
**IARC Group 3 (not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans), Monograph Volume 101 (verify year against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/), DISTINCT from DEA Group 2B in same Volume** (verify against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/ before relying)
**NOT on EU Drug Precursors Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 + Regulation (EU) 2015/1011 scheduled list** (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before relying)
ADR / RID: NOT regulated as dangerous goods at solid / liquid form
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 permits TEA in cosmetics with concentration + pH + nitrosamine-precursor controls** (verify exact conditions against EUR-Lex per Annex)

Restrictions and conditions of use

NOT on REACH Annex XIV authorisation list (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/authorisation-list)
NOT classified as SVHC (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table)
NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction
NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin triethanolamine currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing)
NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 permits TEA with controls (DISTINCT from DEA prohibition)**

Importer obligations

A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). Major non-EU producers: Dow Chemical (USA Plaquemine LA + Seadrift TX), INEOS (USA Plaquemine LA), Mitsubishi Chemical (Japan Yokkaichi). Major Chinese TEA producers: SINOPEC Maoming Petrochemical (Guangdong) + SINOPEC Jinling Petrochemical (Nanjing) + Jinghong Energy (Inner Mongolia) + Jiangsu Yida Chemical (Yangzhou); verify each producer-site pair against the producer's public website before relying.

Required documents

REACH registration number on EU side
SDS (Eye Irrit. 2 + Skin Irrit. 2 light hazard profile)
Customs entry HS code 292213 (triethanolamine + its salts)
Cosmetic-formulation declaration where placed in EU cosmetic-supply chain (TEA permitted with controls per Reg 1223/2009)

Common compliance traps

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

Eye Irrit. 2 + Skin Irrit. 2 light hazard profile (DISTINCT from DEA Carc. 2 H351)
**IARC Group 3 (not classifiable) Volume 101 (verify year against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/), DISTINCT from DEA Group 2B in same Volume**
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation permits TEA with controls (distinct from DEA Annex II prohibition)**
NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD
**Cement-grinding aid ~30 to 40% of global TEA consumption + cosmetics (TEA-stearate + TEA-laureth sulphate emulsifier + pH-adjuster) + corrosion inhibitor (cutting fluids + boiler-water treatment) + photographic developer + surfactant + ag intermediate downstream chains**
Major Chinese producers: SINOPEC Maoming + SINOPEC Jinling + Jinghong Energy + Jiangsu Yida

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for triethanolamine (tea), see the CAS 102-71-6 sourcing reference.

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

For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH 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.

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

4 pages across the Sourzi moat

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