Emerging Chemicals in China: Historical Development, Current Situation, and Future Outlook

There has been a widespread international consensus to enhance the regulation of emerging chemicals in the 21st century. The substantial implementation work conducted over the past two decades has established a strong foundation for the control of emerging chemicals across the world. Nevertheless, distinct challenges confront countries and regions due to the ever-evolving diverse national conditions. China, as a developing nation and a major consumer of chemicals, is encountering particularly severe hurdles. This Perspective presents an overview encompassing the historical progression, current circumstances, and challenges confronted by China with regard to emerging chemicals. The central goal of these efforts is to prioritize the control of emerging chemicals and actively establish a monitoring mechanism. Additionally, it is necessary to develop a multistakeholder environmental risk prevention and control system. Ultimately, comprehensive efforts to enhance green substitution practices and active engagement of governance initiatives will be required.