CAS 108-88-3 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Toluene (methylbenzene) under K-REACH

C7H8 · 甲苯

Status: Registered. Toluene is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). Korean GHS classification matches REACH (Flam. Liq. 2 + Repr 2 + Asp. Tox. 1 + STOT RE 2 + Skin Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3). NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list (lighter than phenol batch 13 + formaldehyde batch 18). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list (lighter than acetone batch 15 + methanol batch 3 + sulfuric acid batch 2). NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin toluene. Korea has substantial domestic toluene production (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); structurally balanced or modestly net-exporter depending on year. Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats toluene as a routine PEC-registered substance with no TCCA overlay (lighter than phenol batch 13 + formaldehyde batch 18) and no Drug Management Act overlay (lighter than acetone batch 15 + methanol batch 3 + sulfuric acid batch 2). Korea has **substantial domestic toluene production at Yeosu** (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); structurally balanced or modestly net-exporter depending on year. **Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest**. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply but Korean Yeosu domestic supply is the structural market reference. Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI chain), LG Chem (PX / PTA chain), Lotte Chemical (PX / PTA chain), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS chain via styrene). **Toluene distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: high-volume aromatic solvent + BTX-chain economics (coupled with benzene + xylene markets) + Repr 2 (H361d "may damage the unborn child") workplace overhead + 0% China VAT export rebate (Beijing aromatic-petrochemical export-discouragement signal); lighter trade-policy stack (no AD anywhere) but heavier reproductive-toxicity workplace overhead.

Listing and threshold

Substance Toluene (methylbenzene) (CAS 108-88-3), C7H8
Regime Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction Republic of Korea
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

  • Korean GHS classification: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225), Repr. 2 (H361d), Asp. Tox. 1 (H304), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), STOT RE 2 (H373), STOT SE 3 (H336)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS02 + GHS07 + GHS08
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 50 ppm 8-hr TWA, 150 ppm STEL
  • NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 290230
  • Listed in K-REACH database under "general industrial use, hazardous, reproductive toxicant"
  • IARC: nitric acid itself is not separately classified; occupational exposure to strong-inorganic-acid mists containing sulfuric acid was classified IARC Group 1 (laryngeal cancer) in Monograph Volume 54 (1992) (verify the current classification and Monograph volume against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications before relying on the inorganic-acid-mist read-across for nitric acid)

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
  • No Chemical Accident Prevention Plan (CAPP) required
  • No Korean Drug Management Act precursor obligations
  • Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required at workplace
  • Korea Customs Service requires K-REACH registration number on import declaration
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin toluene currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin toluene (HS 290230); verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • Korean Industrial Safety and Health Act female-of-child-bearing-age workplace protection planning for Repr 2 substances

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration in their own name or rely on an Only Representative (OR). For toluene this is a routine PEC registration with no TCCA overlay. Korea has substantial domestic toluene production at Yeosu (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); supplemental imports flow during plant outages and for grade-specific applications. Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest. Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI chain), LG Chem (PX / PTA chain), Lotte Chemical (PX / PTA chain), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS chain via styrene), Korea Petrochemical Industrial Complex (KPIC) Yeosu. **KCFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin competitive but Korean Yeosu domestic supply is the structural market reference.**

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS reflecting H225 / H304 / H315 / H336 / H361d / H373 classification
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 290230
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 99.5% purity)

Common compliance traps

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

  • Korean GHS hazard-statement codes use H-codes mapped to Korean translations; SDS in English-only is rejected at workplace inspection
  • Korea has substantial domestic toluene production at Yeosu (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Lotte Chemical, GS Caltex) and Onsan (S-Oil); supplemental imports flow during plant outages
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies but verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese toluene currently
  • NOT on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest; structural Korean lane reference price
  • Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI chain), LG Chem (PX / PTA chain), Lotte Chemical (PX / PTA chain), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS chain via styrene)
  • Female-of-child-bearing-age workplace protection planning for Repr 2 substances under Korean Industrial Safety and Health Act

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for toluene (methylbenzene), see the CAS 108-88-3 sourcing reference.

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

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

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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