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- Compiled Results of Reanalysis of the Presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) as By-products in Organic Pigments
Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of the EnvironmentCompiled Results of Reanalysis of the Presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) as By-products in Organic Pigments
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (hereinafter referred to as "the ministries") conducted investigation into the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as by-products in organic pigments, and disclosed the results of the investigation in 2012. After this investigation, as it was discovered that the measured density of PCBs significantly varies according to the method of analysis, the ministries requested the businesses concerned to reanalyze the organic pigments in November 2012. The ministries hereby announce the compiled results of the reanalysis.
Furthermore, 9 additional organic pigments containing 50 ppm or more of PCBs were found in this reanalysis.
1. Background
In response to a report from the Japan Dyestuff and Industrial Chemicals Association (JDICA) in February 2012 revealing that some organic pigments contained trace amounts of PCBs unintentionally generated as by-products, the ministries requested businesses that manufacture or import organic pigments that might generate PCBs as by-products to analyze the presence of PCBs in organic pigments and to report the results to the ministries.
The ministries announced the compiled results of the analysis on May 28, 2012 (the first investigation), and August 30, 2012 (the second investigation).
After these announcements, some companies reported that when they reanalyzed some organic pigments using a different method, they discovered that the density of PCBs might be significantly higher than the results found by the conventional methods. Based on that fact, the ministries discussed methods of analysis in an expert committee, and in November 2012, requested the businesses concerned to reanalyze the organic pigments in question that they had analyzed by the methods in which the density of PCBs might have been lower.
The ministries hereby announce the compiled results of the reanalysis.
2. Results of the reanalysis (Table 1)
The ministries have received reports on the reanalysis of 242 organic pigments.
Through the reanalysis, 9 organic pigments were additionally discovered to contain PCBs in excess of 50 ppm. The ministries have already instructed the businesses concerned to suspend the manufacture, import and shipment of the pigments, and also to collect unused pigments in question from the companies to which they shipped the products.
| PCB density (ppm) |
To 0.5 | Over 0.5 to 1 | 1-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-50 | Over 50 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results of the reanalysis | 141 | 22 | 41 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 242 |
| Total (including the previous investigations) | 359 | 51 | 89 | 29 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 588 |
Note 1: The ministries have already instructed the businesses to suspend manufacturing, importing, and shipping the items that contain 50 ppm or more of PCBs, which are defined in the international treaty named the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) as substances that should not be distributed, and also have requested the businesses to collect unused items from the companies to which they shipped the items.
Note 2: Detection limits vary among the businesses. Therefore, when no PCBs were detected by an analysis, their detection limits were recorded in the corresponding categories of PCB density for counting purposes (for example, when no PCBs are detected in an analysis and its detection limit is 5ppm, the PCB density of the analyzed item is recorded as 5 ppm for counting purposes).
Note 3: These figures are not consistent with those disclosed in the press release of August 30, 2012, due to the items that the businesses additionally analyzed.
- Appendix 1: Organic Pigments that were Found to Contain 50 ppm or more of PCBs as By-products (PDF:68KB)
(in Japanese) - Appendix 2: METI's Request of Reanalysis (November 30, 2012) (PDF:283KB) (in Japanese)
- Reference material 1: Organic Pigments that Can Unintentionally Contain Polychlorinated Biphenyl (press release of February 10, 2012)
- Reference material 2: Summarized Results of the First Investigation into the Presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) as By-products in Organic Pigments (press release of May 28, 2012)
- Reference material 3: Summarized Results of the Second Investigation into the Presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) as By-products in Organic Pigments (press release of August 30, 2012)
Release Date
May 10, 2013
Division in Charge
Chemical Safety Office, Chemical Management Policy Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau