The Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance (HCCO) (Cap. 595) came into force on 1 April 2008. The ordinance provides for the regulation of the import, export, manufacture and use of non-pesticide hazardous chemicals through a permit system. These chemicals are covered by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

Under HCCO, anyone wishing to import, export, manufacture or use any scheduled chemicals subject to control needs to apply for a permit, which is generally valid for 12 months, from EPD. In addition, for every shipment of scheduled chemical(s) entering or leaving Hong Kong, an import/export licence is also required under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), to be issued by EPD under delegation from the Trade and Industry Department.