Japan is moving forward with the ban on the PFOA and its salts

Japan is going forward with a global ban on the production, import, and use of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and 2,2,2-Trichloro-1-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-chlorophenyl) ethanol (also known as o,p’-Dicofol), as a part of its commitment announced at the 9th meeting of the Stockholm Convention on (POPs) in 2019.

In February 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of the Environment (MoE), and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced an amendment to the Cabinet Order of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of their Manufacture, etc. In the proposal, PFOA, its salts, and o,p’-Dicofol will be added to the group of substances regulated as Class 1 Specified Chemical Substances. Class I specified chemical substances under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) are those substances that Japan has assessed as persistent, highly bioaccumulative, or which have a risk of long-term toxicity to humans.  Under Japan’s Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of their Manufacture, etc., manufacture and import of a Class 1 Specified Chemical Substance requires prior authorisation from METI. The use of the regulated substances is only authorised when there are no alternatives available and the use of the substances will not pose a risk to the environment or to human health.

Class 1 Specified Chemical Substances are listed in Article 1 of the Cabinet Order of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of their Manufacture, etc.

In addition, the following list of products is to be added to Article 7 of the Cabinet Order which prohibits the import of products containing PFOA and its salts.

• Water-resistant and oil-resistant paper
• Water-repellent and oil-repellent textiles
• Cleaning agents
• Anti-reflection agents used in the manufacture of semiconductors
• Paints and varnish
• Water and oil repellent
• Adhesives and sealing fillers
• Fire extinguishers, fire-extinguishing agents, and fire-extinguishing foam
• Toners
• Water-resistant and oil-resistant clothes
• Water-repellent floor and oil-repellent floor coverings
• Floor waxes
• Photographic paper

The amendment is expected to be finalised by April and come into force in mid-October.

Last update: 2021-04-21