Japan seeks hazard information for ‘default candidate substances’

On 15 September 2022, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of Environment (MOE) jointly released a Notice to seek hazard information on three default candidate substances. The notice sets a deadline of 30 November 2022. Interested companies planning to conduct tests should notify the ministries and complete them by 31 December 2023.

A 'default candidate substance' is a general chemical substance for which the ministries have insufficient hazard data to conduct a screening assessment to designate it as priority assessment. The substances are: 

• tricyclo[5.2.1.0(2.6)]dec-3-en-8-yl acetate
• N, N-Dipolyoxyalkylene (C＝2, 3)-N-alkyl (C8-18, normal chain) amine;
• polyoxyalkylene (C 2-4,8) monoalkyl(or alkenyl) (C 1-24) ether (n=1-150)

The three ministries have requested the following data:

•  algae growth inhibition
•  daphnia acute immobilisation
•  fish acute toxicity

If the collected information is found to be insufficient or received and verified, but cannot be used for the screening assessment without test notifications, the ministries will classify the default candidate substance as:

• default hazard class I: for substances that potentially have an effect on the ecosystem
• default hazard class II: for substances that potentially have an effect on health

On the basis of hazard and toxicity levels, the substance’s hazard and exposure class will be estimated by the joint ministerial council to decide if it should be designated as a 'default priority assessment chemical'.