What Is KKDİK? Turkey-REACH, MSDS/SDS and KDU Guide

In the chemical raw-material supply chain, questions like "Can you send the MSDS?", "Is this product in scope of KKDİK?" or "Is the SDS in Turkish?" are heard more often every day. The reason is simple: Turkey's chemical legislation has been brought into a modern, EU-aligned framework, and reading a chemical's documentation correctly is now as much a part of the job as buying it. In this guide we explain what KKDİK is, why it is called "Turkey-REACH," why an MSDS/SDS is mandatory, how it differs from EU REACH, and the role of the KDU — all from a B2B buyer's perspective, plainly and accurately.

Note: This article is educational and for general information only; it does not claim that our company is a registrant for any particular substance. For the exact scope of your obligations, the official regulation and qualified consultation are decisive.

What Is KKDİK?

KKDİK is the Turkish abbreviation for the "Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals." It forms the core framework for the management of chemical substances in Turkey and is administered by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. The four actions in its name effectively summarise the skeleton of the legislation:

• Registration: For substances above defined tonnage and within scope, manufacturers/importers submit a dossier covering the substance's identity, uses and safety information to the competent authority.
• Evaluation: The authority reviews the submitted dossiers and substance data.
• Authorisation: Substances of very high concern (for example carcinogenic or mutagenic) are made subject to authorisation for specific uses.
• Restriction: Uses that pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment are limited or banned.

This logic ties chemicals to an "evidence first, market second" principle: it aims to prevent a substance from circulating freely before its safe-use conditions are documented.

Why is it called "Turkey-REACH"?

Because KKDİK shares the same backbone as the European Union's REACH regulation, the industry commonly refers to it as Turkey-REACH. The registration-evaluation-authorisation-restriction cycle, tonnage-based obligations and the mandatory safety data sheet are largely similar. But "similar" does not mean "identical"; we will turn to the differences below.

Whom and which substances does it cover?

KKDİK does not address only large chemical companies. Businesses that manufacture, import or place on the market under their own name a substance — on its own, in a mixture or in an article — can carry obligations at different levels. Three questions are usually the starting point when scope is determined:

• Is it a substance, a mixture or an article? Obligations change with this distinction.
• What is the annual tonnage? Registration and information requirements depend largely on tonnage.
• What is your role in the supply chain? The responsibilities of a manufacturer/importer differ from those of a distributor/user.

For this reason, the same chemical can create different obligations for two companies at different points in the chain. In practice, the soundest approach is to clarify your own role and assess the documents from your supplier accordingly.

What Is an MSDS / SDS?

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and SDS (Safety Data Sheet) are essentially the same document; in Turkish it is the GBF (Güvenlik Bilgi Formu). The document presents a chemical's hazards, safe handling conditions, storage rules and emergency response in a standard format.

A Safety Data Sheet consists of 16 standard sections worldwide:

Section	Content
1	Identification of the substance/mixture and the company
2	Hazard identification
3	Composition / information on ingredients
4	First-aid measures
5	Firefighting measures
6	Accidental release measures
7	Handling and storage
8	Exposure controls / personal protection
9	Physical and chemical properties
10	Stability and reactivity
11–12	Toxicological and ecological information
13	Disposal considerations
14	Transport information (ADR/UN no.)
15–16	Regulatory information and other information

For a buyer, the most critical sections are usually 2 (hazard class), 7 (storage), 8 (PPE) and 14 (transport class). Planning the storage of a corrosive acid without first reading its MSDS, for instance, is simply not sound practice.

Why is an MSDS mandatory?

There is no single reason an MSDS is mandatory; several layers come together:

• Legal: KKDİK and related communiqués require an SDS to be prepared for in-scope chemicals and provided in Turkish.
• Occupational safety: What PPE a worker should wear and what to do in a spill are written in this document.
• Operational: Storage incompatibilities, the transport class and first-aid steps are read from the MSDS.
• Traceability: It ensures everyone along the supply chain accesses the same, standard information.

At Yüksek Kimya we share a current MSDS and COA for every batch we supply, so the buyer can meet both regulatory and on-the-floor needs from a single source.

An SDS and a label are not the same thing

A frequent confusion is treating the product label and the Safety Data Sheet as the same document. The label is the summary information on the container — hazard pictograms, the signal word (Danger/Warning), and the hazard (H) and precautionary (P) statements. The SDS is the detailed, 16-section technical document behind that summary. In Turkey, hazard classification and labelling are governed by the SEA Regulation (the counterpart of the EU's CLP). For a buyer, the practical rule is simple: use the label for quick warning on the floor, and use the SDS for storage, transport and emergency planning.

The Difference Between KKDİK and EU REACH

Although both regulations share the same philosophy, there are important differences that matter to the buyer in practice. The table below summarises the key distinctions:

Topic	KKDİK (Turkey)	EU REACH
Competent authority	Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change	ECHA (European Chemicals Agency)
Geographic scope	Turkey	European Union / EEA
Validity of registration	A separate registration is required for Turkey	A separate registration is required for the EU
SDS language	Turkish required	Language of the relevant country
Expert role	KDU (Chemical Assessment Expert)	Generally consultant/expert staff
Core logic	Registration-Evaluation-Authorisation-Restriction	Registration-Evaluation-Authorisation-Restriction

The point most often confused

A common assumption is that "a substance registered under REACH in the EU is automatically registered in Turkey." This is not true. A REACH registration does not substitute for a KKDİK registration. Even though the two systems rest on the same scientific basis, the registrations are geographically separate and each is made to its own authority. So a chemical being legal in the EU does not automatically mean obligations in Turkey are met.

Another difference is language: under KKDİK, the SDS is expected to be in Turkish. An English-only SDS is, in most cases, not considered sufficient for on-site safety and regulatory purposes.

What Is a KDU (Chemical Assessment Expert)?

KDU is the Turkish abbreviation for Chemical Assessment Expert (Kimyasal Değerlendirme Uzmanı). It is a person who has completed a defined training and certification process and is authorised under KKDİK to prepare registration dossiers and technical documents such as the Chemical Safety Report (CSR). Put simply, the KDU is the technical authority who "files" a substance with a registration obligation in line with the regulation.

What does a KDU do in practice?

• Defines the substance's identity and purity profile.
• Assesses the hazard classification (in line with CLP/SEA) and the safe-use scenarios.
• Determines exposure scenarios and risk management measures.
• Prepares the registration dossier and, where required, the Chemical Safety Report.

The registration obligation primarily rests with the manufacturer or importer of the substance; these parties typically prepare their dossiers together with a KDU. For a distributor or buyer, what matters more in practice is obtaining a complete and current SDS from the supplier and confirming the substance's registration status in relation to their own obligations.

Pre-registration, registration and the CSR

The KKDİK process has a few basic steps worth knowing. Pre-registration is an early notification stage for in-scope substances, bringing together the parties who will register the same substance so they can share data jointly. At the registration stage, the actual technical dossier is submitted to the authority. For substances above a certain tonnage, a Chemical Safety Report (CSR) must also be prepared; this report details the substance's exposure scenarios and risk management measures.

An important by-product is that the SDS can become an extended one: for substances with a CSR, the relevant exposure scenarios are attached as an annex. For the buyer, this means the SDS may answer not only "what are the hazards?" but also "under what conditions can I use this substance safely?"

Why Is the MSDS So Critical for These Chemicals?

To understand why so much weight is placed on the regulation, looking at real products is the clearest route. The three examples below show why hazard profiles must be documented correctly:

Product	CAS no.	Key hazard	Critical MSDS section
Hydrochloric acid (HCl)	7647-01-0	Corrosive, acidic vapour	7 (storage), 8 (PPE), 14 (transport)
Sodium hydroxide (caustic)	1310-73-2	Strong base, serious burn risk	4 (first aid), 7, 8
Acetone	67-64-1	Highly volatile, extremely flammable	2 (hazard), 7, 9 (flash point)

What the examples tell us

• Corrosives: When acids like hydrochloric acid are stored alongside bases like sodium hydroxide (caustic), there is a risk of a violent, heat-releasing reaction. Sections 7 and 10 of the MSDS state these incompatibilities clearly.
• Volatile solvents: For extremely flammable materials such as acetone, the flash point and vapour pressure in Section 9 of the MSDS directly drive decisions about ventilation and ex-proof equipment.

These examples make a single point: an SDS is not just "paperwork" — it is the basis of safety decisions on the floor. A storage plan that skips the document is risky in practice, even if it is otherwise compliant.

Your Responsibilities as a Buyer

Although KKDİK is often seen as "the manufacturer's job," every link in the chain carries some responsibility. As a B2B buyer, it helps to pay attention to the following in practice:

• Request a current SDS: Ask for a Turkish and up-to-date Safety Data Sheet for each substance, and check the date and version.
• Read the hazard class: Reflect Sections 2, 7, 8 and 14 in particular in your storage and transport plan.
• Map incompatibilities: Plan acids, bases and oxidisers in separate compartments.
• Confirm your own obligation: Importing, repackaging or placing on the market under your own name can create additional obligations; consult a KDU or regulatory adviser where needed.
• Archive the documents: Keep the SDS and COA you receive together with batch/version information; this traceability is valuable in an audit or a customer request.

Four common mistakes

The misunderstandings most often seen on the floor:

1. Assuming "an English SDS is enough." Under KKDİK, the SDS is expected to be in Turkish.
2. Treating the label as a substitute for the SDS. The label is a summary warning; storage and transport decisions rest on the SDS.
3. Working from an outdated version. Classifications can be updated; always request the current version.
4. Assuming "it's registered in the EU, so there's no issue in Turkey." Registrations are geographically separate.

This is where Yüksek Kimya makes the documentation side easier: it shares an MSDS and COA with every delivery, supplies the product in the right packaging, and carries out its dangerous-goods shipments in accordance with ADR rules.

Quality, Documentation and Supply

Consistent documentation and safe logistics are as decisive for process continuity as the right raw material. Yüksek Kimya is a B2B wholesale supplier of chemical raw materials based in Bursa Kestel, serving the automotive, textile, packaging, cleaning/detergent, paint/coating and cosmetics industries.

• Management systems: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and GHP practices
• Documentation: MSDS and COA for each batch
• Logistics: Shipping in accordance with ADR rules
• Ordering: Fast phone ordering and technical consultation — 0224 326 27 50

You can review hazard and property information on our relevant product pages and see our full portfolio in the product catalogue. From the corrosive class, hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (caustic), and on the solvent side acetone, are good examples in this respect.

Conclusion

KKDİK is Turkey's main framework binding chemical safety to the principle of "evidence first, market second"; while it shares the same logic as EU REACH, it is distinct in terms of registrations, authority and language. The MSDS/SDS is the most concrete document where that framework reaches daily practice: read correctly, it delivers regulatory compliance and on-site safety together. The KDU, in turn, is the technical expert who prepares registration dossiers in line with the regulation within this system.

To obtain a chemical's current SDS, interpret its hazard class correctly, or build your supply plan with confidence, contact Yüksek Kimya and get a quote — let's choose the right raw material, documentation and delivery plan together.