CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Japan: Further bans on PFOA isomers and PFOA-related Substances

JULY 2024 - HARDLINES, SOFTLINES

On 10 July 2024, 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.¹ was published in the Japanese Gazette, designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) isomers and PFOA-related substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "the Act").

In 2021, PFOA or its salts were designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Act². It means PFOA or its salts can only be manufactured or imported unless the authorisation is granted. Moreover, the Cabinet Order also specified certain types of products containing PFOA or its salts cannot be imported.

With the updates³ in July 2024, PFOA isomers is added into the entry of PFOA or its salts as Class I Specified Chemical Substances, and PFOA-related substances is newly designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances. That means PFOA, its isomers and salts and PFOA-related substances can be manufactured or imported unless the authorisation is granted. The list of products we reported previously² did not contain PFOA or its salts including PFOA isomers.

According to the Cabinet Order, the following products containing PFOA-related substances shall not be imported to Japan:

• Fabrics with oil- or water-repellent properties;
• Antifoaming agents;
• Oil-repellent, water-repellent and antifouling agents and fiber protecting agents;
• Optical fibers or coating agents applied to optical fibers;
• Fire extinguishers, fire extinguishing agents for fire extinguishers, and fire extinguishing foams;
• Clothing with oil- and water-repellent properties;
• Floor coverings with oil- and water-repellent properties;
• Floor wax.

The import ban for the above products will take effect after 6 months of the publication of the Cabinet Order, i.e. 10 January 2025.

[1] 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.

[2] TÜV SÜD E-ssentials 6/2021 - Japan Bans PFOA for Certain Imported Products

[3] Press release of Japan METI for the Cabinet Order

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