What is the tonnage threshold for REACH on sodium silicate (waterglass)?

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

CAS 1344-09-8 · REACH · European Union

Sodium silicate (waterglass) under REACH

Na2O.nSiO2 (n typically 2.0 to 3.3) · 硅酸钠

Status: Registered. Sodium silicate is fully registered under REACH at the high tonnage band (>100,000 tonnes/year, verify exact tonnage band against ECHA registration dossier before relying). **Distinguishing pattern: Production via furnace fusion of soda ash (Na2CO3, batch 36 chain) plus silica sand at ~1400 C producing solid cullet, then hydrothermal dissolution in pressurised hot water yielding liquid waterglass at variable Na2O:SiO2 ratios (mass ratio "n" typically 2.0 to 3.3 for commercial grades) + completes Na2CO3 batch 36 downstream chain alongside sodium bicarbonate batch 68 + detergent silicate (~30% of consumption) plus pulp / paper sizing (~15%) plus silica-gel and zeolite feedstock (~15%) plus water treatment plus oil-drilling fluid plus foundry sand binder plus soil stabilization plus fire-retardant downstream chains + moderate hazard profile (Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Dam. 1 at concentrated alkaline grade per harmonised CLP entry; 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 sodium silicate currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing).

Sodium silicate is fully REACH-registered with **moderate hazard profile** (Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Dam. 1 at concentrated alkaline grade). NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD. **Production via soda ash + silica sand fusion at 1400 C then hydrothermal dissolution at variable Na2O:SiO2 ratios n=2.0-3.3**. **Completes Na2CO3 chain alongside sodium bicarbonate**. **Detergent + pulp / paper sizing + silica-gel / zeolite feedstock + water treatment + oil-drilling + foundry binder + fire-retardant** downstream chains. Major Chinese producers: PQ Corporation (Ecovyst), Shandong Xintai, Shandong Sanjiang, Zhejiang Sanmei, Chongqing Sanfeng, Jiangsu Hailan.

Listing and threshold

Substance	Sodium silicate (waterglass) (CAS 1344-09-8), Na2O.nSiO2 (n typically 2.0 to 3.3)
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

Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Dam. 1 at concentrated alkaline grade per harmonised CLP entry (verify exact harmonised classification against ECHA Annex VI to CLP Table 3.1 before relying)
GHS pictograms: GHS05 (corrosion to eye) at concentrated grade
IARC: Not classified
NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
ADR / RID transport classification: typically NOT regulated for solid sodium silicate; concentrated liquid waterglass may be classified Class 8 PG III at high alkalinity (verify against ADR before relying)
**EU Pharmacopoeia monograph** for pharma-grade colloidal silica derived from sodium silicate (verify monograph reference against EDQM / Ph. Eur. before relying)
Skin / eye contact handling notes apply at concentrated grade

Restrictions and conditions of use

NOT on REACH Annex XIV (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 sodium silicate currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing)
NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope

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 Chinese sodium silicate producers (verify each producer-site pair against the producer's public website before relying on a specific plant): PQ Corporation (now Ecovyst) China operations, Shandong Xintai Water Treatment, Shandong Sanjiang Industry, Zhejiang Sanmei Chemical, Chongqing Sanfeng Silicate, Jiangsu Hailan New Materials.

Required documents

REACH registration number on EU side
SDS (with skin / eye corrosion handling notes at concentrated grade)
Customs entry HS code 283919 (silicates including sodium silicate; check 283911 / 283919 split per current EU TARIC)
ADR documentation where concentrated liquid waterglass is shipped at Class 8 PG III
Pharma-grade Ph. Eur. certification where applicable for colloidal-silica derivative

Common compliance traps

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

**Production: furnace fusion of soda ash (Na2CO3) + silica sand at ~1400 C, then hydrothermal dissolution to liquid waterglass at variable Na2O:SiO2 ratios n=2.0-3.3**
**Completes Na2CO3 batch 36 downstream chain alongside sodium bicarbonate batch 68**
NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD
**Detergent silicate ~30% + pulp / paper sizing ~15% + silica-gel and zeolite feedstock ~15% + water treatment + oil-drilling fluid + foundry sand binder + soil stabilization + fire-retardant downstream chains**
Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Dam. 1 at concentrated alkaline grade (Class 8 PG III where shipped as concentrated liquid)
Major Chinese producers: PQ Corporation (Ecovyst) China operations, Shandong Xintai Water Treatment, Shandong Sanjiang, Zhejiang Sanmei, Chongqing Sanfeng, Jiangsu Hailan

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for sodium silicate (waterglass), see the CAS 1344-09-8 sourcing reference.

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

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

Free download

Free PDF: the same MSDS verification template the Sourzi team uses to cross-reference factory documents against TSCA, REACH, AICIS, and CDR before booking.