Federal Act
on Protection against Dangerous Substances and Preparations
(Chemicals Act, ChemA)

¹ This Act ap­plies to the hand­ling of sub­stances and pre­par­a­tions.

² The hand­ling of mi­croor­gan­isms is deemed equi­val­ent to the hand­ling of sub­stances and pre­par­a­tions in so far as they are used in biocid­al products or plant pro­tec­tion products.

³ The Fed­er­al As­sembly may by means of an or­din­ance ex­tend the scope of this Act or of in­di­vidu­al pro­vi­sions to in­clude:

a.

or­gan­isms that have, or may have, dan­ger­ous prop­er­ties with­in the mean­ing of this Act;

b.

the pro­tec­tion of the lives and health of farm and house­hold an­im­als.

⁴ The Fed­er­al Coun­cil shall provide for ex­emp­tions from the scope or from in­di­vidu­al pro­vi­sions of this Act in cases where:

a.

lives and health are ad­equately pro­tec­ted by oth­er fed­er­al le­gis­la­tion against harm­ful ef­fects arising from sub­stances and pre­par­a­tions;

b.

sub­stances and pre­par­a­tions are in­ten­ded solely for through trans­it or ex­port;

c.

gen­er­al de­fence or the tasks of the po­lice and cus­toms au­thor­it­ies ne­ces­sit­ate such ex­emp­tions.