Resources for International Cooperation

  • Evaluation
    • Japan is an important producer, user and exporter of chemicals, accounting for 12% of world output value in the chemical industry (10% of total Japanese manufacturing value) and with higher demand per capita than any other OECD country.
    • In recent years, Japan has also adopted laws on a PRTR, dioxins and PCBs, and strengthened measures to reduce emissions/discharges of hazardous chemicals.
    • Japan has begun to address the issue of suspected endocrine disrupters, and has continued to be very active in international programmes concerning chemical management, including that of the OECD (e.g. safety investigation of high production volume chemicals).
    • Protection of ecosystems is not generally included alongside health in the objectives of Japanese chemical management policy.
    • Quantitative targets for the reduction of releases of hazardous chemicals have not yet been set, except for dioxins and a few other substances.
    • Japan's efforts towards harmonisation of test procedures (required before the introduction of new chemicals to the market) with those of other OECD countries should be actively continued.
    • Risk assessment has been completed only for a few hazardous chemicals so far. Risk information to consumers concerning hazardous chemicals in products is insufficient.
    • Data on production and consumption of chemicals are not systematically used to assess health risks, nor made public for better risk communication.
    • The great majority of existing chemicals have yet to undergo safety assessment.
  • Recommendations
    It is recommended to:
    • further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of chemical management and further extend the scope of regulation to include ecosystem protection;
    • strengthen voluntary initiatives in the chemical industry and grant a more active role to chemical producers in safety investigations (e.g. of existing chemicals);
    • introduce measures to encourage manufacturers to reduce the environmental and health risks posed by chemicals used in consumer products, at all stages of the products' life cycle;
    • continue to instruct farmers about and monitor their compliance with regulations and guidelines concerning the application of pesticides;
    • continue to develop publicly accessible databases on chemicals (e.g. on toxicity, risk assessment, emissions at all stages of the life cycle) and strengthen risk communication concerning hazardous chemicals;
    • continue to co-operate with other OECD countries (e.g. on harmonisation of test procedures for new and existing chemicals) and continue to promote environmentally sound chemical management in East Asia.