CAS 85-44-9 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Phthalic anhydride under K-REACH

C8H4O3 · 邻苯二甲酸酐

Status: Registered. Phthalic anhydride is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list. NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin phthalic anhydride (verify against the Korea Trade Commission portal before invoicing). Korea has domestic phthalic anhydride production (Aekyung Petrochemical Ulsan and OCI Group; verify each company-site pair against the producer's public website before quoting nameplate or share). KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats phthalic anhydride as a routine PEC-registered substance with no TCCA overlay. Korea has substantial domestic phthalic anhydride production. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply. **Phthalic anhydride distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: closes ortho-xylene batch 21 OX isomer chain via OX oxidation route + Resp. Sens. 1 (H334) sensitiser pattern (similar to MDI batch 30 + TDI batch 31) + downstream phthalate-plasticizer cascade (DOP / DEHP + DBP + BBP + DIBP all on REACH SVHC + Annex XIV) + UPR + alkyd resin chains + Aoxing Yangzhou + Sinopec + Tianjin Petrochem leadership; phthalate plasticizer transition to non-phthalate alternatives (DOTP, DINCH, DPHP) post-EU SVHC + Annex XIV listings.

Listing and threshold

Substance Phthalic anhydride (CAS 85-44-9), C8H4O3
Regime Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction Republic of Korea
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

  • Korean GHS classification: Acute Tox. 4 oral / inhalation + Eye Dam. 1 + Skin Sens. 1 + Resp. Sens. 1 + STOT SE 3
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 1 ppm 8-hr TWA
  • NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 291735

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
  • No Chemical Accident Prevention Plan (CAPP) required
  • Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required at workplace
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin phthalic anhydride currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin phthalic anhydride (HS 291735)

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. Korea has substantial domestic phthalic anhydride production (Aekyung Petrochemical Ulsan, OCI Group); supplemental imports flow during plant outages.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 291735
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment

Common compliance traps

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

  • Korea has substantial domestic phthalic anhydride production (Aekyung Petrochemical Ulsan, OCI Group)
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies; verify producer-specific eligibility
  • No active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese phthalic anhydride currently
  • NOT on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for phthalic anhydride, see the CAS 85-44-9 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the phthalic anhydride cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-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.

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.