Australia AICIS Industrial Chemicals: Introducer Readiness
The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) regulates industrial-chemical introduction (manufacture or import for industrial use) under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019, replacing NICNAS from July 1, 2020.
In Short
- An introducer is the person who imports or manufactures an industrial chemical in Australia for any purpose other than therapeutic, food, agricultural, or veterinary…
- Each introduction is self-categorised: (1) Listed — chemical is on the AICIS Inventory and the introduction is within any Inventory conditions; pre-introduction…
- The AICIS Inventory is the merged ex-NICNAS Inventory (AICS) plus chemicals added under AICIS assessment certificates.
Every introducer must register with AICIS annually (registration year 1 September to 31 August) and self-categorise each introduction into one of six categories (Listed, Exempted, Reported, Assessed, Commercial Evaluation, Exceptional Circumstances) based on hazard and exposure. Record-keeping obligations run 5 years. This guide maps the introducer obligations and a defensible AICIS readiness path.
Who is an 'introducer' and the annual registration
An introducer is the person who imports or manufactures an industrial chemical in Australia for any purpose other than therapeutic, food, agricultural, or veterinary (those go to TGA, FSANZ, or APVMA). Cosmetics, cleaning products, paints, inks, adhesives, lubricants, plastics, photo-imaging chemistry, fragrance compounds, textile finishing chemistry, and ink-jet ink are all industrial chemicals.
More on who is an 'introducer' and the annual registration
Every introducer must register annually with AICIS (registration year 1 September to 31 August); registration is online with an annual fee tiered by introduction value. Late or absent registration is a strict-liability offence under the Act.
The Six Introduction Categories
Each introduction is self-categorised: (1) Listed — chemical is on the AICIS Inventory and the introduction is within any Inventory conditions; pre-introduction notification not required, only annual declaration. (2) Exempted — very low risk (low volume + low hazard, R&D under 100 kg, or specified low-risk uses); pre-introduction notification not required but post-introduction declaration required by 30 November after the registration year.
More on the Six Introduction Categories
(3) Reported — low-to-medium risk; pre-introduction report to AICIS required (no assessment, but searchable on the public Reported Introductions list); annual post-introduction declaration. (4) Assessed — higher risk; AICIS assessment certificate required before introduction; certificate names the introducer. (5) Commercial Evaluation — market-testing categories under 4,000 kg over 2 years. (6) Exceptional Circumstances — public-health, environmental, or national-security emergency.
The AICIS Inventory and the 5-year transition
The AICIS Inventory is the merged ex-NICNAS Inventory (AICS) plus chemicals added under AICIS assessment certificates. Listing on the Inventory means the chemical can be introduced as a Listed introduction (no pre-introduction notification) provided any Inventory conditions are met (use, concentration, exposure controls).
More on the AICIS Inventory and the 5-year transition
AICIS publishes the Inventory and the Reported Introductions list publicly. New chemicals not on the Inventory must be introduced via Exempted, Reported, Assessed, Commercial Evaluation, or Exceptional Circumstances category, and may be added to the Inventory after 5 years on the public Reported Introductions list (or immediately on Assessed certification, subject to confidentiality conditions).
Record-keeping, GHS labelling, and SDS
Record-keeping under §171 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019: 5 years from the end of the registration year. Required records include introduction volumes, end-use categories, hazard and exposure information supporting categorisation, customers, and Inventory or assessment-certificate references.
More on record-keeping, GHS labelling, and SDS
Hazardous chemicals (Workplace) — Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice requires GHS Rev 7 SDS and labels for workplace hazardous chemicals (NOHSC equivalent). Cosmetics-as-industrial-chemicals — AICIS regulates the chemical introduction; Therapeutic Goods Act regulates any therapeutic claims; Australian Consumer Law regulates fair-trading marketing claims. Animal-test data restriction: from 1 July 2020, animal-test data generated after that date for cosmetics-end-use industrial chemicals cannot be used in AICIS pre-introduction submissions where alternative data exists.
A 120-Day AICIS Readiness Path
- Days 1–20
introducer registration confirmation and renewal calendar; portfolio scope (every chemical introduced, by registration year and end-use).
- Days 21–60
per-chemical Inventory check and categorisation (Listed conditions met, Exempted criteria, Reported submission needed, Assessed certificate required); supplier-data gap analysis for hazard and exposure information.
- Days 61–90
Reported introduction submissions and Assessed certificate applications where required; SDS and GHS label refresh.
- Days 91–110
§171 record set assembly per chemical-year.
- Days 111–120
post-introduction declaration template ready for 30 November lodgement and the next 1 September registration renewal.
Questions
Do we still talk to NICNAS?
No. NICNAS was replaced by AICIS on 1 July 2020 under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019. The ex-NICNAS Inventory (AICS) became the foundation of the AICIS Inventory. All new introductions go through AICIS.
Are cosmetics regulated as industrial chemicals in Australia?
The chemical ingredients in cosmetics are regulated as industrial chemicals by AICIS. The finished cosmetic product is also subject to Australian Consumer Law and, if it makes therapeutic claims, the Therapeutic Goods Act (TGA). A simple skincare moisturiser without therapeutic claims is regulated by AICIS for the ingredients.
When does the AICIS registration year start?
1 September to 31 August. Annual renewal is due before 1 September each year. Late or absent registration is a strict-liability offence with penalty units under the Act.
Can we use animal-test data for cosmetic ingredients?
Animal-test data generated on or after 1 July 2020 for an industrial chemical with end-use solely in cosmetics generally cannot be used in AICIS pre-introduction submissions where suitable alternative data exists. Pre-2020 data and data for non-cosmetic end-uses are unaffected.
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