Japan: New regulation for PFOA – new products ban

 

Japan is revising the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances to regulate PFOA isomers or their salts and PFOA related compounds more strictly.

Based on Article 24 of the Act, the following will be designated as products prohibited from being imported when PFOA isomers or their salts and PFOA related compounds are used in them:

(products with PFOA isomers or their salts)

1. Water-resistant paper and oil-resistant paper
2. Water-repellent textiles and oil-repellent textiles
3. Cleaning agents
4. Anti-reflection agents used in the manufacture of semiconductors
5. Paints and varnish
6. Water repellent and oil repellent
7. Adhesives and sealing fillers
8. Fire extinguishers, fire-extinguishing agents, and fire-extinguishing foam
9. Toners
10. Water-resistant clothes and oil- resistant clothes
11. Water-repellent floor coverings and oil-repellent floor coverings
12. Floor waxes
13. Photographic paper

(products with PFOA related compounds)

1. Water-repellent textiles and oil-repellent textiles
2. Antifoaming agents
3. Water repellent, oil repellent, antifouling agent and fiber protectant
4. Optical fiber or its surface coating agents
5. Fire extinguishers, fire-extinguishing agents, and fire-extinguishing foam
6. Water-resistant clothes and oil- resistant clothes
7. Water-repellent floor coverings and oil-repellent floor coverings
8. Floor waxes

In order to mitigate environmental pollution, substances such as PFOA isomers, their salts, and related compounds, which pose potential hazards due to their non-biodegradability, high bioaccumulation potential, and chronic toxicity, will be classified as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Act. This decision aligns with resolutions made at the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2019.

Furthermore, to prevent environmental contamination, the importation of products containing PFOA isomers, their salts, and related compounds will be prohibited.

To find out more about chemical compliance in Japan, please contact the Product Compliance Institute directly.