The Department of Industry and Information Technology of Jiangsu Province recently released the Jiangsu Provincial Catalogue for the Restriction and Elimination of Chemical Industry Structural Adjustments (2025 Edition, Draft for Public Comment). As a major hub for China's chemical industry, Jiangsu's new policy draft sets a clear direction for the sector's future. The provisions targeting the pesticide industry are particularly significant, establishing a two-tiered system of "Restricted" and "Eliminated" categories to drive the industry towards safer, greener, and more efficient practices.

The draft catalogue effectively draws clear "red lines" and "yellow lines" for pesticide manufacturers, signaling that regulation in this key chemical province is set to become more stringent and precise.

Category I: Restricted – Steering Industrial Upgrades and Curbing New Capacity

The core principle of the "Restricted" category is to "prohibit new investment while encouraging upgrades." This gives existing companies a window to modernize their facilities but closes the door to new entrants in these specific areas.

1. Strict Controls on High-Risk Pesticides:

The catalogue lists a wide range of active pesticide ingredients deemed high-risk due to their high toxicity, high residue levels, or significant impact on the environment and food safety. This extensive list includes traditional highly toxic varieties such as omethoate, terbufos, methomyl, and carbofuran, as well as more contemporary products like flubendiamide, acephate, and carbendazim. This indicates a regulatory focus on tightening production permits for high-risk pesticides at the source.

2. Limiting Capacity for Bulk Pesticides:

The draft also restricts production facilities for several high-volume pesticides, including glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, chlorpyrifos, paraquat, imidacloprid, and abamectin. While widely used in agriculture, the production of these chemicals often carries substantial safety and environmental risks. Restricting new facilities aims to control overcapacity and push existing producers to adopt cleaner and safer manufacturing processes.

3. Full-Chain Risk Management:

Beyond finished products, the catalogue extends restrictions to "production units for pesticide and pharmaceutical intermediates with inadequate safety and environmental risk control measures" and "new phosgene production points." Furthermore, it prohibits, in principle, the establishment of new enterprises producing synthetic active pesticide ingredients. This comprehensive approach creates a risk-control system that spans from key raw materials and intermediates to final active ingredients, raising the entry barrier and safety standards for the entire industry.

Category II: Eliminated – Accelerating the Phase-Out of Outdated Capacity

The "Eliminated" category is far more stringent, mandating that listed processes, equipment, and products are "prohibited from investment" and must be "phased out immediately or within a specified timeframe," leaving no room for negotiation.

1. Phasing Out Outdated Production Processes:

The draft explicitly targets several obsolete production technologies. For example, "paraquat production via the sodium method" and "dichlorvos production via the trichlorfon-alkali method" are slated for elimination due to their high risks and pollution levels. Additionally, "manual packaging/filling processes and equipment for small-package (1kg or less) pesticide products" are listed, promoting automation to reduce worker exposure to toxic substances.

2. Eliminating Highly Toxic and Banned Products:

On the product front, the elimination list is decisive.

Highly Toxic Pesticides: A range of extremely hazardous pesticides, many of which are already marginalized but may still exist, are to be completely banned. This includes methamidophos, parathion, methyl parathion, and monocrotophos. Additives with potential environmental harm, such as nonylphenol (used as a pesticide adjuvant), are also on the list.

Compliance with International Conventions: The draft places special emphasis on products targeted for elimination under China's commitments to international treaties like the Stockholm Convention. This list includes Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, lindane, hexachlorobenzene, chlordane, and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), its salts, and related compounds. This demonstrates Jiangsu's commitment to aligning its industrial policy with global environmental standards.

The release of the Jiangsu Provincial Catalogue for the Restriction and Elimination of Chemical Industry Structural Adjustments (2025 Edition) draft sends clear signals about the future of the pesticide industry in Jiangsu and across China:

A Pivot to Green and Safe Production: The core policy direction is to mitigate the environmental and safety risks associated with pesticide production and use, pushing the industry towards green, low-toxicity, and low-residue alternatives.

Increased Industry Consolidation: By strictly controlling new capacity and eliminating outdated operations, the policy will accelerate a market reshuffle, concentrating resources in leading companies with advanced technology, robust management, and high environmental standards.

Innovation as the Only Path Forward: For pesticide companies, the era of relying on traditional, high-risk products is over. The key to survival and growth will lie in developing proprietary, efficient, and low-toxicity biological pesticides, new formulations, and novel chemical entities, all produced using clean and intelligent manufacturing processes.

Once formally implemented, this catalogue is expected to have a profound impact on Jiangsu's pesticide industry landscape, compelling companies to embark on a path of high-quality, sustainable development.