What is the tonnage threshold for REACH on diethanolamine (dea)?

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

CAS 111-42-2 · REACH · European Union

Diethanolamine (DEA) under REACH

C4H11NO2 · 二乙醇胺

Status: Registered. Diethanolamine is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: produced as DEA fraction of the alkanolamine product slate from ammonia + ethylene oxide reaction (MEA + DEA + TEA, with DEA fraction maximised by 1:2 NH3 : EO molar ratio); major downstream uses are surfactant feedstock (cocamide DEA + lauramide DEA + cocamidopropyl betaine for shampoo + detergent + cosmetics, though cocamide DEA has been progressively reformulated due to nitrosamine-precursor concerns) + cement-grinding aid + gas-treatment / amine-scrubbing (H2S + CO2 removal in MDEA-blended formulations though MEA dominates) + agrochemical intermediate (glyphosate + 2,4-D adjuvant) + corrosion inhibitor + textile-processing auxiliary + photographic developer.** **EU CLP harmonised classification: Carc. 2: H351 (suspected of causing cancer) + STOT RE 2: H373 + Acute Tox. 4 oral / dermal: H302 + H312 + Eye Irrit. 2: H319 + Skin Irrit. 2: H315** (verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying). NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin diethanolamine currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing). **EU Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 Annex II Entry 411 prohibits diethanolamine in cosmetics + Annex III restricts diethanolamides** (verify exact entry numbers + scope against EUR-Lex before relying). **NOT on EU Drug Precursors Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 + Regulation (EU) 2015/1011 scheduled list** (verify against EUR-Lex before relying).

Diethanolamine is fully REACH-registered with **Carc. 2 H351 + STOT RE 2 harmonised CLP + IARC Group 2B (Monograph Volume 101)**. NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV. **EU Cosmetic Products Regulation Annex II PROHIBITS DEA in cosmetics + Annex III restricts diethanolamides (cocamide DEA + lauramide DEA progressively reformulated due to nitrosamine-precursor concerns)**. NO active EU AD. **Surfactant + cement-grinding aid + gas-treatment + agrochemical (glyphosate adjuvant) + corrosion inhibitor downstream chains**. Major Chinese producers: SINOPEC Maoming + SINOPEC Jinling + Jinghong Energy + Jiangsu Yida.

Listing and threshold

Substance	Diethanolamine (DEA) (CAS 111-42-2), C4H11NO2
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

**Carc. 2: H351 (suspected of causing cancer) + STOT RE 2: H373 + Acute Tox. 4 oral / dermal: H302 + H312 + Eye Irrit. 2: H319 + Skin Irrit. 2: H315 per harmonised CLP** (verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying)
**IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans), evaluated 2011, Monograph Volume 101** (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 form; corrosive at >65% aqueous solution (verify against current ADR at https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/adr-2025-files before consigning)
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 Annex II prohibits diethanolamine in cosmetics + Annex III restricts diethanolamides (cocamide DEA + lauramide DEA)** (verify exact entry numbers + scope against EUR-Lex before relying)

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 diethanolamine currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing)
NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation Annex II prohibits DEA in cosmetics + Annex III restricts diethanolamides**

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 DEA 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 (Carc. 2 + STOT RE 2 + Acute Tox. 4 oral / dermal + Eye Irrit. 2 + Skin Irrit. 2)
Customs entry HS code 292212 (diethanolamine + its salts)
ADR transport documentation where corrosive at >65% aqueous solution
Cosmetic-formulation declaration where placed in EU cosmetic-supply chain (DEA prohibited per Annex II)

Common compliance traps

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

**Carc. 2 H351 + STOT RE 2 + IARC Group 2B Volume 101 (possibly carcinogenic)**
**EU Cosmetic Products Regulation Annex II PROHIBITS DEA in cosmetics + Annex III restricts diethanolamides (cocamide DEA + lauramide DEA reformulated)**
NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD
**NOT on EU Drug Precursors scheduled list**
**Surfactant feedstock (cocamide DEA + lauramide DEA reformulated due to nitrosamine concerns) + cement-grinding aid + gas-treatment + agrochemical (glyphosate + 2,4-D adjuvant) + corrosion inhibitor + textile + photographic developer 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 diethanolamine (dea), see the CAS 111-42-2 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the diethanolamine (dea) 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

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