CAS 497-19-8 · IECSC · People's Republic of China

Sodium carbonate (soda ash) under IECSC

Na2CO3 · 碳酸钠 / 纯碱

Status: Listed. Sodium carbonate is on the IECSC public portion. NOT on China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals (light hazard). NOT on Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog. NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Catalog. **Light IECSC-side regulatory profile alongside sodium chloride batch 16 + glycerol batch 35**. 9% China VAT export rebate. China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~30 Mt/yr) led by **Tangshan Sanyou (a leading global soda ash producer; verify the most recent capacity against the Tangshan Sanyou corporate site before quoting world-largest rank or a specific Mt/yr figure)**, Shandong Haihua, Tianjin Soda Plant, Jiangsu Soda. **Hou's process** (Chinese variant of Solvay) accounts for ~50% of Chinese capacity.

Sodium carbonate is comfortably IECSC-listed with **light IECSC-side regulatory profile alongside sodium chloride batch 16 + glycerol batch 35**. 9% China VAT rebate. China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~30 Mt/yr) led by **Tangshan Sanyou (a leading global soda ash producer; verify the most recent capacity against the Tangshan Sanyou corporate site before quoting world-largest rank or a specific Mt/yr figure)**, Shandong Haihua, Tianjin Soda Plant, Jiangsu Soda. **Hou's process Chinese variant** (~50% of Chinese capacity) is unique structurally co-produces NH4Cl alongside Na2CO3.

Listing and threshold

Substance Sodium carbonate (soda ash) (CAS 497-19-8), Na2CO3
Regime China Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (IECSC), administered by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
Jurisdiction People's Republic of China
Status Listed
Tonnage threshold No new-substance threshold applies. Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit NOT required

Classifications under this regime

  • Listed on IECSC
  • NOT on China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals
  • NOT on China's Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog
  • NOT on the Easily-Made Drugs Precursor Chemicals Catalog
  • GB 210-2004 specification applies for industrial-grade soda ash (Chinese national standard); GB 1886.5-2015 for food-grade
  • GACC export classifications: HS 283620 (anhydrous), HS 283610 (decahydrate)
  • China dominates global capacity (~50%, ~30 Mt/yr); Solvay process ~25% + Hou's process ~50% + natural trona ~25% (Inner Mongolia Tongliao + Erdos)

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NO Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit required
  • NO Hazardous Chemicals Road Transport Permit required
  • 9% China VAT export rebate; verify before invoicing
  • GB 1886.5-2015 conformity for food-grade lots

Importer obligations

For Chinese-origin sodium carbonate exported abroad, no IECSC obligation falls on the foreign importer. Light-regulatory profile. Major Chinese producers: **Tangshan Sanyou (a leading global soda ash producer using Hou's process; verify the most recent capacity against the Tangshan Sanyou corporate site before quoting world-largest rank or a specific Mt/yr figure)**, Shandong Haihua, Tianjin Soda Plant, Jiangsu Soda.

Required documents

  • GACC export declaration with HS code 283620 (anhydrous) or 283610 (decahydrate)
  • Industrial-grade certificate per GB 210-2004 (or GB 1886.5-2015 food-grade)
  • Standard commercial invoice and packing list
  • Certificate of analysis for grade specification

Common compliance traps

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

  • **Light IECSC-side regulatory profile alongside sodium chloride batch 16 + glycerol batch 35**
  • 9% China VAT rebate
  • Major Chinese producers: **Tangshan Sanyou (a leading global soda ash producer; verify the most recent capacity against the Tangshan Sanyou corporate site before quoting world-largest rank or a specific Mt/yr figure)**, Shandong Haihua, Tianjin Soda Plant, Jiangsu Soda
  • Production routes: Solvay process synthetic (~25% Chinese capacity); **Hou's process Chinese variant** (~50%, combined ammonia-soda + ammonia-chloride-synthesis without ammonia recovery cycle); natural trona mining (~25%, Inner Mongolia Tongliao + Erdos)
  • Hou's process is unique to China; produces both Na2CO3 + NH4Cl as co-products structurally
  • Natural trona mining in Inner Mongolia (Tongliao + Erdos) is rapidly growing share of Chinese supply (lower carbon footprint vs Solvay)

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 carbonate (soda ash), see the CAS 497-19-8 sourcing reference.

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

For the structure and history of IECSC, see the IECSC 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.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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