CAS 1310-58-3 · AICIS · Australia

Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) under AICIS

KOH · 氢氧化钾

Status: Listed. Potassium hydroxide is on the AICIS (Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme; replaced NICNAS on 1 July 2020 under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019, verify against https://www.industrialchemicals.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are-and-what-we-do) Inventory of Industrial Chemicals as a Listed Industrial Chemical. Australia adopted the GHS classification matching REACH (Skin Corr. 1A, Acute Tox. 4 oral, Met. Corr. 1). **SUSMP Schedule 6 (Poison) applies for retail mixtures above concentration cutoffs** (parallel to caustic soda batch 1). Australia has minimal domestic KOH production (limited specialty manufacture); imports primarily flow to biodiesel processing (alongside imported methanol batch 3), soap manufacture, alkaline-battery electrolyte demand. ChAFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

AICIS treats potassium hydroxide as a routine listed industrial chemical with **SUSMP Schedule 6 (Poison) scheduling for retail mixtures** (parallel to caustic soda batch 1). The operational compliance work is moderate (annual AICIS registration, WHS-compliant SDS, ADG 7.7 Class 8 transport, corrosion-resistant tankage for bulk). NO active Australian AD/CVD case. ChAFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin KOH competitive vs Korean (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions), Israeli (ICL Sodom Dead Sea), and US (Olin Corporation, Westlake) alternatives. Australia has **minimal domestic KOH production** (ICL Australia small-scale specialty manufacture only); structural net-importer posture. Australian end-use is dominated by biodiesel processing (mining-sector + transport-fleet biodiesel, alongside imported methanol batch 3), soap manufacture, alkaline-battery electrolyte demand. Biodiesel transesterification chain is the dominant Australian KOH demand driver.

Listing and threshold

Substance Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) (CAS 1310-58-3), KOH
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: Acute Tox. 4 oral (H302), Skin Corr. 1A (H314), Met. Corr. 1 (H290)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS05 + GHS07
  • SUSMP Schedule 6 (Poison) applies for retail mixtures above concentration cutoffs
  • NOT on Australian Drug Control Act precursor list
  • Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG 7.7): Class 8 (corrosive), UN 1813 (solid) / UN 1814 (solution), Packing Group II
  • Safe Work Australia workplace exposure standard: 2 mg/m³ peak (ceiling)
  • NOT classified as carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No AICIS-specific use restrictions for industrial-grade potassium hydroxide above concentration cutoffs
  • SUSMP Schedule 6 retail packaging rules apply for retail mixtures
  • No Australian active AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin potassium hydroxide currently
  • WHS Regulation 2011 hazardous-chemicals handling requirements apply at workplaces handling KOH bulk above declared thresholds
  • NFPA-equivalent corrosive liquid storage requirements apply for bulk; corrosion-resistant tankage
  • ChAFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin potassium hydroxide (HS 281520 / 281530)
  • TGA approves potassium hydroxide for limited pharmaceutical-formulation applications under Therapeutic Goods Act 1989
  • FSANZ Standard 1.3.4 permits potassium hydroxide as food additive E 525

Importer obligations

The Australian importer of record must be registered with AICIS (online registration is straightforward and annual). For Listed Industrial Chemicals like potassium hydroxide no individual chemical assessment is required. SUSMP Schedule 6 applies for retail mixtures. Workplace handling SDS drives WHS hazardous-chemicals register entry at handling facilities; corrosion-resistant tankage applies for bulk receipt. Australia has minimal domestic production; imports primarily flow to biodiesel processing (alongside imported methanol batch 3), soap manufacture, alkaline-battery electrolyte demand. ChAFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin KOH competitive vs Korean (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions), Israeli (ICL), and US (Olin Corporation, Westlake) alternatives.

Required documents

  • AICIS introducer registration certificate (annual)
  • WHS-compliant Safety Data Sheet (Safe Work Australia model code format) reflecting H290 / H302 / H314 classification
  • Customs entry (ICS / ABF) with HS code 281520 (solid) or 281530 (solution)
  • ChAFTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 95.0% purity)
  • ADG 7.7 Class 8 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; lapsed registrations trigger holds
  • WHS hazardous-chemicals register entry required at handling facilities; corrosion-resistant tankage applies for bulk
  • SUSMP Schedule 6 Poison scheduling for retail mixtures (parallel to caustic soda batch 1)
  • No Australian active AD/CVD case currently. Australian Anti-Dumping Commission has had periodic alkali-hydroxide investigations but no active orders on KOH
  • ChAFTA preferential zero-duty makes Chinese-origin KOH competitive vs Korean (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions), Israeli (ICL Sodom Dead Sea), and US (Olin Corporation, Westlake) alternatives
  • Australian end-use is dominated by biodiesel processing (mining-sector + transport-fleet biodiesel), soap manufacture, alkaline-battery electrolyte (battery-grade KOH premium)
  • Australia has minimal domestic KOH production; ICL Australia small-scale specialty manufacture only. Net-importer structure
  • Biodiesel transesterification (KOH catalyst + methanol batch 3) chain demand drives substantial Australian biodiesel-grade KOH consumption

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for potassium hydroxide (caustic potash), see the CAS 1310-58-3 sourcing reference.

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

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

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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