Japan updates SDS and labelling guidelines in accordance with PRTR Law

In order to help companies, comply with the regulations for chemicals in the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR), Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has issued its 2022 Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and labelling advice. The updated guidance in Japanese was released on the METI website on 4th October 2022.

The purpose of the Japanese PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) system is to encourage business operators to improve their management of chemical substances on a voluntary basis and to prevent any obstructions to the preservation of the environment by taking steps to confirm the release amounts, etc., of specific chemical substances in the environment.

The revised guidance provides details on the following:

• The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and mixture classification system - The Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHL), the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law, and the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act (PDSCL) are the three laws that govern the implementation of GHS in Japan.
• Information about the list of compounds covered by PRTR.
• Details on the necessary elements for SDSs, labels, and SDS transfer procedures.

A government gazette notice published on 20 October 2021, states that the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has raised the number of compounds included in its Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) from 562 to 649. Under Class I, 53 chemical compounds have been added bringing the total number of chemicals listed in this class to 515. Under Class II, 34 chemical compounds have been added by the ministry, bringing the total number of chemicals listed under Class II to 134. These are substances that are specified as being harmful to humans and ecosystems and are deemed to disperse widely into the environment, or are highly likely to disperse widely into the environment at a future time. Enforcement will begin on 1 April 2023.

According to PRTR regulations, businesses are required to give SDSs to other business operators when sharing information about compounds included in the register and goods that contain them.