Experiences on persistent organic pollutants under the Law Concerning the Examination and Regulation of Manufacture, etc, of Chemical Substances, Japan, with references to biodegradation and bioaccumulation

Objectives: The purpose of this report is to outline current regulations to control chemical environmental pollution in Japan, with special references to internationally defined 12 persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Materi als: Law concerning the Examination and Regulation of Manufacture, etc. of Chemical Substances [(LERCS); enacted in 1973] and related administrative a ctivities of monitoring of the environment in Japan. Results: Among the exi sting chemicals identified by the 1972 Chemicals Inventory, LERCS designate s aldrin, chlordanes, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, HCB, PCBs, poly(Cl-m; n = 3 or more)-chlorinated naphthalene (PCNs) and bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO) as Class I specified chemical substances which are under strict regulation, su ch as prohibition of production, import, or use in principle. In addition L ERCS designates 23 Class 2 specified chemical substances (including 13 trib utyltin and seven triphenyltin compounds) for which notification of schedul ed and past production, compliance with technical guidelines and compliance with labeling standards is requested. When compared with the 12 POPs, the designation covers most of them except for mirex and toxaphene, which have never been used in Japan. The regulation has been effective in reducing sub stantially the levels of the designated chemical substances (and therefore the 12 POPs except for dioxins and furans) in the general environment in Ja pan. Efforts are currently focused under a newly enacted law to reduce the emission of the two non-intentionally produced pollutants of dioxins and fu rans, especially from city waste incinerators, so that emission in 2002 sho uld be 10% of that in 1997. Conclusion: Regulations to control chemical emi ssions have been effective in reducing POPs levels in the environment in Ja pan, and further efforts have been made under a new law to reduce the emiss ion of dioxins, furans and co-planar PCBs.