Japan Restricts PFOA and Its Salts on Certain Products

May. 18 2021

On April 2021, the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) published a Cabinet Order no.144 of 2021 to amend the “Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of their Manufacture, Etc.” under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) to regulate PFOA and its salts and certain PFOA-containing products. This Cabinet Order will be effective on October 22, 2021.

Background
In order to align the approach with global PFOA restrictions under the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), Japan finally designated PFOA and its salts as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Chemical Substances Control Law and ban their manufacture, import and use due to their persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic effects.

Summary of the Cabinet Order

• PFOA and/or its salts is designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances

The list of Class I Specified Chemical Substances covers chemical substances that are toxic for human beings or other animals at the top of the food chain with long-term intake, persistent, and highly accumulating. Concerning these substances, businesses are required to receive permission to manufacture and import them, are limited in how they can use them, and are prohibited from importing products designated under the Cabinet Order.

• The following are the designated products that business are not permitted to be imported if they contain PFOA and/or its salts, which is Class I Specified Chemical Substances:

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

Additional Information
Cabinet Order no.144 of 2021 (in English):
https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2021/0416_001.html

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