CAS 7782-50-5 · REACH · European Union

Chlorine (Cl2) under REACH

Cl2 · 氯气

Status: Registered. Chlorine is fully registered under REACH. **Distinguishing pattern: closes NaCl batch 16 chain via chlor-alkali (membrane-cell electrolysis: NaCl + electricity → NaOH batch 1 + Cl2 + H2; ~99% globally) + NaOH batch 1 structural co-product (~1.1 t Cl2 per tonne NaOH) + chlor-alkali integrated chain (~50% Cl2 to PVC batch 10 + HCl batch 4) + Acute Tox. 2 inhalation H330 fatal-if-inhaled + Press. Gas + Skin Corr. 2 + China Highly Toxic Catalog + Cl2 structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk (intra-complex captive consumption like EO batch 28) + chlorine-specific incident catalogue per CSB.gov drives heavy regulatory attention (Bhopal 1984 and Texas City 2005 were not chlorine incidents and are not chlorine disaster legacy; verify chlorine-specific incidents against CSB.gov).** Reg (EC) 1272/2008 harmonised: Acute Tox. 2 inhalation + Press. Gas + Skin Corr. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Aquatic Acute 1. NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV.

Chlorine is fully REACH-registered with **substantial regulatory burden**: Acute Tox. 2 inhalation + Press. Gas + Skin Corr. 2 + Aquatic Acute 1. **Closes NaCl batch 16 chain via chlor-alkali (membrane-cell electrolysis: NaCl + electricity → NaOH batch 1 + Cl2 + H2)**. **Cl2 is structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk** (intra-complex captive consumption like EO batch 28). Major Chinese producers: same as NaOH batch 1 (chlor-alkali integrated capacity). End-use: PVC chain (batch 10, ~30%), HCl batch 4 (~20%), water treatment (~10%), TDI / MDI chain (~10%), other organochlorines (~30%).

Listing and threshold

Substance Chlorine (Cl2) (CAS 7782-50-5), Cl2
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: Acute Tox. 2 inhalation (H330, "fatal if inhaled"), Press. Gas, Skin Corr. 2 (H315), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319), STOT SE 3 (H335), Aquatic Acute 1 (H400)
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • GHS pictograms: GHS04 (gas cylinder), GHS06 (skull and crossbones), GHS09 (aquatic environment)
  • IARC: chlorine itself is classified Group 3 (not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans) in an earlier Monograph volume (verify the current chlorine Group classification and Monograph volume number against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications before relying on a specific volume; occupational exposure to strong-inorganic-acid mists containing sulfuric acid is a separate IARC Group 1 listing and is not a read-across for elemental chlorine)
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 2.3 (toxic gas), UN 1017, refrigerated liquefied

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin chlorine currently (largely irrelevant due to bulk-trade constraint)
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
  • EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) requires permitting
  • EU Reg 528/2012 Biocidal Products Regulation: chlorine permitted as active substance for biocidal applications

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). **Cl2 is structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk** (intra-complex captive consumption due to safety + handling complexity, like EO batch 28); standalone Cl2 export is rare. The dominant practitioner-facing concern for EO importers is downstream chlorinated products (PVC batch 10, HCl batch 4, organochlorines).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II reflecting H315 / H319 / H330 / H335 / H400 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS04 + GHS06 + GHS09 pictograms and DANGER signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 280110 (chlorine)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 2.3, UN 1017, refrigerated liquefied)

Common compliance traps

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

  • **Cl2 is structurally NOT internationally traded as bulk** (intra-complex captive consumption due to safety + handling complexity, like EO batch 28); standalone Cl2 export is rare
  • **Closes NaCl batch 16 chain via chlor-alkali**: NaCl + electricity → NaOH batch 1 + Cl2 + H2 membrane-cell electrolysis (~99% globally)
  • **NaOH batch 1 structural co-product**: ~1.1 t Cl2 per tonne NaOH; chlor-alkali integrated economics structurally couples Cl2 + NaOH supply
  • **Acute Tox. 2 inhalation H330 fatal-if-inhaled + Press. Gas** drives heaviest workplace exposure-control overhead
  • Major Chinese producers: same as NaOH batch 1 (Sinopec + Wanhua + Hengli + Tangshan Sanyou + Shandong Haihua chlor-alkali integrated capacity)
  • End-use mix: PVC chain (batch 10, ~30%), HCl batch 4 (~20%), water treatment (~10%), TDI / MDI chain (batches 30 + 31, ~10%), other organochlorines (epichlorohydrin / chloromethanes / chlorofluorocarbons / agrochemicals, ~30%)
  • Disaster legacy: Graniteville South Carolina 2005 chlorine railcar release (9 fatalities) plus numerous chlor-alkali plant incidents have driven heavy regulatory attention; Bhopal 1984 (Union Carbide MIC release in India) and Texas City 2005 (BP refinery hydrocarbon explosion) were not chlorine incidents and should not be cited as chlorine disaster legacy (verify the chlorine-specific incident catalogue against CSB.gov before quoting any single example)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for chlorine (cl2), see the CAS 7782-50-5 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the chlorine (cl2) 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.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

6 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 topic clusters, 1 CAS profiles. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

Topic cluster (1)

CAS (1)

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.