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  5. Cabinet Decision on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.

Cabinet Decision on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.

December 13, 2024

Joint press release with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Ministry of the Environment

On December 13, 2024, a Cabinet Decision was made on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. The Cabinet Order designates UV-328, Methoxychlor, and Dechlorane Plus as Class I Specified Chemical Substances, and makes necessary revisions to the Order for Enforcement.

1. Background to the revision of the Cabinet Order

At the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants held in May 2023, UV-328, Methoxychlor, and Dechlorane Plus were decided to come under the scope of elimination. In response, the Chemical Substances Council(*1) held a meeting and reached the conclusion that it is appropriate to designate these substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances(*2) under Article 2 (2) of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. (Act No. 117 of 1973; hereinafter referred to as the “Act”). Based on this, the Cabinet Order designates the substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances and makes the necessary revisions to the Order for Enforcement. 

*Notes:
1: The meeting was jointly held by: the Chemical Substances Investigation and Survey Committee, Committee on Safety Measures for Chemical Substances under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Council; and the Subcommittee on Evaluation of Chemical Substances, Environmental Health Committee under the Central Environment Council.
 
2: The list of Class I Specified Chemical Substances covers chemical substances that are low degradable, highly accumulative, and have long-term toxicity to human beings or other animals at the top of the food chain. Concerning these substances, businesses are required to receive permission to manufacture and import them (both of which are prohibited in principle), are limited in how they can use them, and are prohibited from importing products designated under the Cabinet Order.

2. Summary of the Cabinet Order

1. Designation of Class I Specified Chemical Substances

The Cabinet Order designates the following chemical substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under Article 2 (2) of the Act.

  1. 2-(2H-1,2,3-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-di-tert-pentylphenol (also known as UV-328)
  2. 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(methoxyphenyl)ethane (also known as Methoxychlor)
  3. 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,13,13,14,14-dodecachloro-1,4,4a,5,6,6a,7,10,10a,11,12,12a-dodecahydro-1,4:7,10-dimethanodibenzo[a,e][8]annulene (also known as Dechlorane Plus)

2. Designation of products that businesses are not permitted to import in which any of the Class I Specified Chemical Substances are used

The Cabinet Order is to designate the following products as those that businesses are not permitted to import if such products contain UV-328 and Dechlorane Plus to be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances.

UV-328

  1. Lubricating oils
  2. Prepared additives for UV absorbers for plastics
  3. Paints and varnish
  4. Adhesives, tape, and sealing fillers

Dechlorane Plus

  1. Lubricating oils
  2. Prepared additives for flame retardant for resins
  3. Parts of electronic equipment and electrical equipment
  4. Silicon rubber
  5. Adhesives and tape

3. Designation of certain applications in which a Class I Specified Chemical Substance is permitted to be used exceptionally and the period of time for such use

The Cabinet Order is to designate an application under which Dechlorane Plus, which is to be designated as a Class I Specified Chemical Substance, is permitted to be used exceptionally, and the period of time for the use.

Period of time:
Period up to February 26, 2030
Application:
Manufacturing of heat insulation materials used for the articles prescribed in Article 4 (1) (xiii) of the Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Defense (Act No. 164 of 1954)

4. Transitional measures

Moreover, METI will provide necessary transitional measures.

3. Future schedule (tentative)

Promulgation:
December 18, 2024
Enforcement:
February 18, 2025 (to be enforced two months after the promulgation): This is to designate the substances in Items 2 (1) and (3) above.
June 18, 2025 (to be enforced six months after the promulgation): This is to designate the substances in Item 2 (2) above.

Related Materials (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

Chemical Safety Office, Chemical Management Policy Division, Industrial and Product Safety Policy Group