What are the old facilities in enterprises that produce or use hazardous chemicals? How should risk management be carried out?

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In June 2024, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued the \"Notice on the Issuance of Relevant Guidelines\" (Emergency No. 49), requiring the gradual phasing out of old chemical processing facilities. So what are old chemical processing plants? In accordance with the \"Guidelines for Safety Risk Assessment of Old Equipment in Enterprises Producing and Using Hazardous Chemicals\" (provisional), the old equipment referred to in these guidelines are those in enterprises that hold permits for the safe production and use of hazardous chemicals, and which involve major hazard sources, hazardous chemical processes under strict supervision, toxic gases, and explosives. Such equipment includes primary reactors, pressure vessels, atmospheric storage tanks, cryogenic storage tanks, and pressure pipelines of GC1 grade, where the design service life has been reached, or where no design service life has been specified but the actual operating time exceeds 20 years – including both standalone units and combined units. There are several conditions for being classified as an old chemical processing unit: 1. The enterprise holds a license for the safe production of hazardous chemicals or a license for the safe use of hazardous chemicals. 2. The enterprise is involved in any of major hazard sources, hazardous chemical processes under strict supervision, toxic gases, or explosives. 3. Any equipment or facility that has reached its designed service life, or for which no designed service life is specified, but whose actual operational time exceeds 20 years (including standalone units and combined units). As long as the above conditions are met, it can be classified as an old chemical plant facility. After being classified as an old chemical plant facility, it is necessary to determine its risk level. There are also four scenarios: 1. If any of the veto conditions apply, the entity should be eliminated. 2. Immediate corrective actions shall be taken for high-risk installations; safety, equipment, and process management measures shall be improved one by one, automated control and monitoring systems shall be upgraded, and operations that do not meet safety requirements shall be suspended for rectification. 3. Devices with higher safety risks. Rectification must be carried out immediately or within a specified time limit. 4. Devices with general and lower security risks. Implement regular control measures and carry out rectifications in line with inspection and maintenance plans to ensure that safety risks remain under control.