CAS 64-17-5 · IECSC · People's Republic of China

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) under IECSC

C2H6O · 乙醇

Status: Listed. Ethanol is on the IECSC public portion. **Ethanol IS on China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals** (Flam. Liq. 2). NOT on Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog. NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Catalog. **0% China VAT export rebate for fuel-grade ethanol** (Beijing food-security signal restricting fuel-grade exports). Beijing food-security policy restricts new corn-fermentation capacity. China dominates global capacity (~25%, ~12-15 Mt/yr) led by COFCO Biotech (Jilin + Heilongjiang corn-fermentation), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (ethylene hydration synthetic), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan.

Ethanol is comfortably IECSC-listed but IS on Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals. NOT on Highly Toxic. NOT on Easily-Made Drugs Catalog. **0% China VAT export rebate for fuel-grade ethanol** (Beijing food-security signal). China dominates global capacity (~25%, ~12-15 Mt/yr) split corn-fermentation (~50%) + cassava-fermentation (~25%, expanding) + ethylene hydration synthetic (~25%). Beijing food-security policy restricts new corn-fermentation capacity.

Listing and threshold

Substance Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) (CAS 64-17-5), C2H6O
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 required regardless of volume

Classifications under this regime

  • Listed in China's Catalog of Hazardous Chemicals
  • NOT on China's Highly Toxic Chemicals Catalog
  • NOT on the Easily-Made Drugs Precursor Chemicals Catalog
  • GB 10343-2008 specification applies for industrial-grade ethanol (Chinese national standard)
  • GACC export classifications: HS 220720 (denatured), HS 220710 (undenatured >80% alcohol)
  • China dominates global capacity (~25%, ~12-15 Mt/yr); production split corn-fermentation (~50%, COFCO + others), cassava-fermentation (~25%, expanding due to food-security policy), ethylene hydration synthetic (~25%)
  • GB 6944-2012 dangerous-goods transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1170, PG II

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • **Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit IS required**
  • Hazardous Chemicals Road Transport Permit required
  • **0% China VAT export rebate for fuel-grade ethanol** (Beijing food-security signal)
  • Beijing food-security policy restricts new corn-fermentation capacity; preference for cassava + cellulosic + synthetic routes
  • GB/T 17519 Chinese-language SDS required for domestic distribution
  • Chinese E10 fuel-grade blending mandate (provincial-level rollout)

Importer obligations

For Chinese-origin ethanol exported abroad, no IECSC obligation falls on the foreign importer. Major Chinese producers: COFCO Biotech (Jilin + Heilongjiang corn-fermentation), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (ethylene hydration), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan.

Required documents

  • GACC export declaration with HS code 220720 (denatured) or 220710 (undenatured)
  • Industrial-grade certificate per GB 10343-2008
  • GHS-compliant SDS in Simplified Chinese per GB/T 17519-2013 (effective 31 January 2014, references UN GHS 4th revised edition; verify against the current version of GB/T 17519 at https://www.codeofchina.com/standard/GBT17519-2013.html)
  • Hazardous Chemicals Operation Permit chain documentation
  • GB 6944-2012 Class 3 dangerous-goods transport documentation

Common compliance traps

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

  • **0% China VAT export rebate for fuel-grade ethanol**
  • Beijing food-security policy restricts new corn-fermentation capacity
  • Major Chinese producers: COFCO Biotech (corn-fermentation), Liaoning Bohai Petrochemical (synthetic), Anhui BBCA Biochemical, Henan Tianguan
  • Production split: corn-fermentation (~50%), cassava-fermentation (~25%, expanding), ethylene hydration synthetic (~25%)
  • Chinese E10 fuel-grade blending mandate (provincial-level rollout)
  • Cassava feedstock from Vietnam + Thailand + Laos provides Chinese fermentation alternative to corn

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for ethanol (ethyl alcohol), see the CAS 64-17-5 sourcing reference.

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