Number of Man-made Chemicals on the Market
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Chemicals Registered Globally
Actively Marketed
New Chemicals Annually
Understanding Number of Man-made Chemicals on the Market
This counter estimates the cumulative number of man-made chemicals that have been registered for commercial production and use globally. The vast chemical universe includes everything from industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals to agricultural chemicals and consumer products, representing humanity's capacity to create new substances.
While over 350,000 chemical substances have been registered across various national and regional inventories, experts estimate that only 40,000-60,000 are actively in commercial production today. Many registered chemicals never reached the market, were withdrawn, or are produced only in small quantities for specialized applications.
The challenge of tracking chemicals in commerce is complicated by varying definitions, confidential business information, and differences in regulatory systems worldwide. Despite decades of chemical regulation, comprehensive safety data exists for only a fraction of chemicals in use, highlighting the ongoing challenge of chemical management.
Global Chemical Inventory Overview
- The disparity between registered chemicals (350,000+) and those actively marketed (40,000-60,000) reflects the dynamic nature of chemical innovation, market forces, and regulatory requirements that determine commercial viability.
- Approximately 6,000 high-production-volume chemicals account for more than 99% of the total volume of chemicals in global commerce, indicating that while chemical diversity is vast, actual usage is concentrated among relatively few substances.
- Regional variations in chemical inventories are significant, with some chemicals registered only in specific countries or regions, making global harmonization of chemical information a continuing challenge for regulators and industry.
- The pace of new chemical registration varies by region, with 700-2,000 new substances added annually to major inventories like US TSCA and EU REACH, though not all newly registered chemicals achieve commercial success.
Chemical Registration Terminology
- Chemical Inventory: Official list of chemicals manufactured, imported, or used in a country or region
- CAS Registry Number: Unique numerical identifier assigned to every chemical substance by Chemical Abstracts Service
- High Production Volume (HPV): Chemicals produced or imported at levels exceeding 1,000 tonnes per year
- Active vs. Inactive: Designation of whether a chemical is currently in commercial production and use
Major Chemical Inventories
- US TSCA Inventory: 86,000+ chemicals
- EU REACH Registry: 22,000+ substances
- Canadian DSL: 23,000+ chemicals
- Australian AICIS: 40,000+ chemicals
- Japanese ISHL: 4,000+ chemicals
Chemical Categories in Commerce
- Industrial Chemicals: 25,000+ substances
- Pharmaceuticals: 8,000+ active ingredients
- Agricultural Chemicals: 1,500+ pesticides
- Consumer Products: 15,000+ chemicals
- Cosmetics: 3,000+ ingredients
Safety Data Availability
- Full Safety Assessment: 5,000+ chemicals
- Basic Toxicity Data: 15,000+ chemicals
- Limited Data: 25,000+ chemicals
- No Safety Data: 300,000+ chemicals
- Confidential Business Information: 20,000+ chemicals
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Chemical inventory data is compiled from official government registries, industry databases, and international organizations, with careful attention to avoiding double-counting of chemicals registered in multiple jurisdictions.
The distinction between 'registered' and 'actively marketed' chemicals is based on industry surveys, trade data, and regulatory reporting, though precise numbers remain estimates due to confidential business information and varying reporting requirements.
The counter displays a static value of 350,000+ registered chemicals, reflecting the cumulative nature of chemical registration rather than a real-time count, as new registrations occur continuously but at relatively low rates.
Data quality and completeness vary significantly by region, with developed countries maintaining more comprehensive inventories while developing nations may have limited chemical registration systems.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout Number of Man-made Chemicals on the Market
The 350,000+ figure comes from official government registries (US TSCA, EU REACH, etc.) compiled by EPA, ECHA, and OECD. Of these registered substances, 40,000-60,000 are actively in commercial production. New chemicals are added at 700-2,000 per year.
Data comes from US EPA TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, EU ECHA REACH Registry, OECD Global Chemical Inventories, and UNEP Global Chemicals Information Exchange - the authoritative sources for tracking chemicals in commerce.
No. Only about 5,000 chemicals have full safety assessments. About 15,000 have basic toxicity data, 25,000 have limited data, and over 300,000 have no safety data. Chemicals enter the market faster than safety testing can keep up.
Chemical diversity supports modern life: industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, consumer products, and advanced materials. However, the 350,000+ registered substances vastly exceed the 40,000-60,000 actively marketed - many were never commercialized or have been withdrawn.
No - most chemicals are industrial intermediates or specialty products with limited exposure potential. However, studies find 200-300 synthetic chemicals detectable in the average person's blood and tissues, with new chemicals constantly entering human exposure pathways.