CAS 9003-07-0 · REACH · European Union

Polypropylene (PP) under REACH

(C3H6)n · 聚丙烯

Status: Exempt. Polypropylene is **REACH-EXEMPT under Article 2(9) polymer exemption** (alongside PVC batch 10 polymer pattern). **Distinguishing pattern: closes propylene chain (~65% of global propylene goes to PP) + largest-volume polyolefin alongside polyethylene + Article 2(9) polymer exemption + constituent monomer propylene (CAS 115-07-1) IS REACH-registered + EU Polymer Strategy revision (2026-2027 timeline) candidate for polymer registration + Wanhua Chemical Yantai + Sinopec + CNPC + Hengli + Zhejiang Petrochemical Chinese capacity dominance + EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg 2019/904) downstream impact (NEW combined).** No GHS classification at industrial-grade. NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin PP currently.

PP is **REACH-exempt under Article 2(9) polymer exemption** (alongside PVC batch 10). **Closes propylene chain** (~65% of global propylene goes to PP). NOT SVHC. NO active EU AD case. NOT in CBAM Phase 1. **EU Polymer Strategy revision (2026-2027 timeline)** is candidate for polymer registration. **EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg (EU) 2019/904)** (verify the consolidated Directive text and effective date against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj before relying) restricts certain PP single-use products since July 2021. China dominates global PP capacity (~30%, ~40-45 Mt/yr) and is the fastest-growing PP region globally.

Listing and threshold

Substance Polypropylene (PP) (CAS 9003-07-0), (C3H6)n
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 Exempt
Tonnage threshold Article 2(9) polymer exemption: no REACH registration required for the polymer itself. Constituent monomer propylene (CAS 115-07-1) IS REACH-registered

Classifications under this regime

  • Article 2(9) polymer exemption (constituent monomers separately registered)
  • NO harmonised CLP classification at industrial-grade level
  • NOT classified as DG under ADR / RID
  • IARC: polypropylene as a polymer is NOT separately classified by IARC (verify the current classification list against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications before relying on the negative listing)
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact: PP permitted as plastic food-contact material; SML applies for monomer + additive migration (verify the consolidated Reg 10/2011 text against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/10/oj before relying)
  • **EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg (EU) 2019/904)** (verify the consolidated Directive text and effective date against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj before relying) restricts PP-based single-use plastics (cutlery + plates + straws + cotton bud sticks + EPS food containers) effective 3 July 2021

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • Article 2(9) polymer exemption applies
  • NOT classified as SVHC
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin PP currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope (PP downstream of propylene chain; propylene NOT in CBAM Phase 1 either)
  • **EU Polymer Strategy revision (2026-2027 timeline)** is candidate for polymer registration; PP is high-priority candidate due to high volume
  • **EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg (EU) 2019/904)** (verify the consolidated Directive text and effective date against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj before relying) restricts certain PP single-use products effective 3 July 2021

Importer obligations

Polymers are REACH-exempt under Article 2(9); constituent monomer propylene IS REACH-registered. Major Chinese producers: Sinopec (Yangzi + Yanshan + Maoming + Shanghai), CNPC (Daqing + Karamay + Lanzhou), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Zhejiang Petrochemical Zhoushan / ZRCC. China dominates global PP capacity (~30%, ~40-45 Mt/yr) and is the fastest-growing PP region globally.

Required documents

  • Customs entry with HS code 39021000 (polypropylene primary form) or 39022000 (polyisobutylene) or 39023000 (propylene copolymers)
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact compliance documentation for plastic food-contact downstream applications
  • **EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg 2019/904) compliance documentation** for downstream finished-product applications

Common compliance traps

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

  • **REACH-exempt under Article 2(9) polymer exemption** (alongside PVC batch 10 polymer pattern)
  • **Closes propylene chain** (~65% of global propylene goes to PP)
  • **Largest-volume polyolefin alongside polyethylene**
  • Constituent monomer propylene (CAS 115-07-1) IS REACH-registered separately
  • **EU Polymer Strategy revision (2026-2027 timeline)** is candidate for polymer registration; PP is high-priority candidate
  • **EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg (EU) 2019/904)** (verify the consolidated Directive text and effective date against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj before relying) restricts certain PP single-use products since July 2021
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese PP currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1
  • Major Chinese producers: Sinopec (Yangzi + Yanshan + Maoming + Shanghai), CNPC (Daqing + Karamay + Lanzhou), Hengli Petrochemical Dalian, Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Zhejiang Petrochemical Zhoushan / ZRCC
  • Production routes: Spheripol slurry process (LyondellBasell licensor), Hypol-II + UNIPOL gas-phase + Borstar Borealis multimodal slurry-gas process; Ziegler-Natta + metallocene catalysts
  • End-use mix: rigid packaging (~30%), flexible packaging + film (~25%), automotive interior + bumper (~15%), fibres + nonwovens (~10%, alongside acrylonitrile batch 38 acrylic-fibre chain), appliances (~10%), other (~10%)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for polypropylene (pp), see the CAS 9003-07-0 sourcing reference.

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

4 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

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.