CAS 141-78-6 · REACH · European Union

Ethyl acetate under REACH

C4H8O2 · 乙酸乙酯

Status: Registered. Ethyl acetate is fully registered under REACH at the highest tonnage band (>1,000,000 tonnes/year) as a foundational acetate ester solvent. **Distinguishing pattern: acetate ester family (alongside butyl acetate next batch) + acetic acid (batch 19) downstream esterification chain (CH3COOH + EtOH → CH3COOEt) + food / cosmetic / pharmaceutical / ink solvent dominance + lightest hazard in dataset for an organic solvent (Flam. Liq. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 only).** Light occupational hazard. NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NOT subject to Drug Precursors Reg 273/2004 (lighter than acetone batch 15 which IS Cat 3). NOT subject to Explosives Precursors Reg 2019/1148. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin ethyl acetate currently.

Ethyl acetate is fully REACH-registered with **light occupational hazard profile** (Flam. Liq. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 only). NOT a drug precursor (lighter than acetone batch 15 + methanol batch 3). NO active EU AD case. NOT in CBAM scope. The dominant economic story for Chinese-origin ethyl acetate is **acetic acid (batch 19) feedstock cost flow-through** via esterification with ethanol. End-use mix dominated by paint + coating + ink solvent (~40%), food + flavour + fragrance solvent (~25%), pharmaceutical + cosmetic solvent (~15%), printing ink + adhesive (~10%), decaffeination of coffee + tea (~5%). **Acetate ester family with butyl acetate next batch + acetic acid batch 19 downstream esterification chain** is the structural integrated-economics story. Major Chinese producers small + medium scale concentrated in coastal Jiangsu + Shandong + Zhejiang + Guangdong; compete on price with European + Korean producers.

Listing and threshold

Substance Ethyl acetate (CAS 141-78-6), C4H8O2
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

  • Harmonised CLP classification: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225, "highly flammable liquid and vapour"), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319, "causes serious eye irritation"), STOT SE 3 (H336, "may cause drowsiness or dizziness")
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation mark)
  • NOT classified as carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant
  • NOT classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment at standard CLP cutoffs
  • IARC: not assigned (not evaluated)
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors Reg 273/2004
  • NOT subject to Explosives Precursors Reg 2019/1148
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1173, Packing Group II

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin ethyl acetate currently
  • NOT in CBAM scope
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact: ethyl acetate permitted as plastic food-contact monomer + processing aid; SML applies
  • EU food use: ethyl acetate is regulated as a flavouring substance under Reg (EC) 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients (not under the food-additive E-number framework of Reg 1333/2008; verify against https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1334 and the EU Flavouring Information System). E 1518 is glyceryl triacetate / triacetin, a separate substance
  • EU Cosmetic Products Regulation 1223/2009: ethyl acetate permitted in cosmetic products subject to general safety

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). Light occupational hazard profile (Flam. Liq. 2 drives engineered controls + ATEX-zoned warehousing for bulk lots). NOT a drug precursor (lighter than acetone batch 15). NO active EU AD case. Major Chinese producers compete with EU domestic producers (Celanese Frankfurt + Pampa Argentina + Singapore, BP / Ineos Hull). The dominant economic story for Chinese-origin ethyl acetate is **acetic acid (batch 19) feedstock cost flow-through** via esterification with ethanol.

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II in destination Member State language(s) reflecting H225 / H319 / H336 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS02 + GHS07 pictograms and DANGER signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 291531 (ethyl acetate)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 3, UN 1173, PG II)
  • Reg 10/2011 food-contact compliance documentation for plastic food-contact downstream applications
  • Reg 1223/2009 cosmetic-product compliance documentation where applicable

Common compliance traps

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

  • **Light occupational hazard profile**: Flam. Liq. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 only
  • NOT a drug precursor (lighter than acetone batch 15 which IS EU Cat 3 + DEA List II)
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese ethyl acetate currently
  • NOT in CBAM scope
  • Major Chinese producers (small + medium scale concentrated in coastal Jiangsu + Shandong + Zhejiang + Guangdong) compete on price with European + Korean producers
  • **Acetic acid (batch 19) feedstock cost flow-through is dominant**: esterification with ethanol (CH3COOH + EtOH → CH3COOEt + H2O) drives ethyl acetate cost structurally to acetic acid economics
  • End-use mix: paint + coating + ink solvent (~40%), food + flavour + fragrance solvent (~25%), pharmaceutical + cosmetic solvent (~15%), printing ink + adhesive (~10%), decaffeination of coffee + tea (~5%), other (~5%)
  • Decaffeination of coffee + tea is interesting niche end-use (e.g. Kraft Heinz decaf coffee processing)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for ethyl acetate, see the CAS 141-78-6 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the ethyl acetate 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.

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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