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Health & Chemicals

Report on the Evaluation of PRTR Pilot Project in Japan

September 1998
PRTR Technical Advisory Committee
(Report to the Environment Agency of Japan)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs), based on the participation of many sectors including government, businesses, citizens, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), are an innovative method of promoting environmental risk management of chemical substances. In 1992, the concept gained a place in the 19th Chapter of Agenda 21, and in February 1996, the OECD Council issued a recommendation to take steps to establish a PRTR system. The United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, etc., have already introduced PRTRs as a system for protecting the environment.

Keeping in line with the international trend, Japan should also consider introduction of the PRTR system. Therefore, in December 1996, the Environment Agency established the PRTR Technical Advisory Committee, chaired by Dr. Jiro Kondo, who was also the Chairman of the Central Environment Council. The Committee investigated technical matters and frameworks for implementing PRTRs. Based on the investigation results, the Environment Agency implemented a pilot PRTR project in June 1997 in parts of Kanagawa and Aichi prefectures. The methods of implementing the pilot project and the evaluation of results are spelled out in detail in this report. The Executive Summary gives an outline of the pilot project, an overview of the results of the Technical Committee's evaluation of the pilot project, and opinions of the Japanese people about PRTRs, etc.

Contents

1. Outline of the PRTR Pilot Project

2. Outline of Evaluation Results

3. Conclusion

Annex 1: List of Substances in the Pilot Project (178 Substances)

Annex 2: Target Facilities

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