In December, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan published the revised cut-off values or GHS concentration limit for chemicals that are required to provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and GHS labels.
In this revision, the cut-off value of N-(2-Aminoethyl)-2-aminoethanol on the label was changed from 0.2% to 1%; the cut-off value of 2-butenal on the label (1%) and on the SDS (1%) were deleted.
Here is an example of chemical cut-off values in the following:
| Chinese Name | English Name | CAS NO. | GHS Cut-Off Values | SDS Cut-Off Values |
| 二氯联苯胺及其盐类 | Dichlorobenzidine and its salts | 91-94-1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| α-萘胺及其盐类 | α-Naphthylamine and its salts | 134-32-7 | 1 | 1 |
| 多氯联苯(别名：多氯联苯) | Polychlorinated biphenyl (alias: PCB) | - | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| O-托利定及其盐类 | o-Tolidine and its salts | 119-93-7 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 双硝西丁及其盐类 | Dianisidine and its salts | 119-90-4 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 铍及其化合物 | Beryllium and its compounds | - | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 三氯化苯 | Benzotrichloride | 98-07-7 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
In accordance with Schedule 2 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, chemicals listed in Schedule 2 shall be subject to the requirements of this revised Notice from April 1, 2026.
If the cut-off values for substances subject to labelling and SDS have been changed in accordance with this Notice, and these values are lower than the values in Schedule 2 before this revision, then the cut-off value will remain unchanged until 31 March 2026.
For substances present on 1 April 2026, the cut-off value of substances in Schedule 2 will remain unchanged if they are subject to the transitional measures prescribed in Schedule 2. The same applies until 31 March 2027. The cut-off values in Schedule 2 of will remain unchanged if they are subject to the transitional measures until 31 March 2027.
The cut-off value or GHS concentration limit for mixtures containing skin-hazardous chemicals are presented below:
- Under the following hazard classification, the content of skin irritants and skin absorption hazardous substances is respectively below the requirement of A and B, then this substance is not a skin-hazardous substance. (Substances meet both requirements in the following A and B shall choose the lower cut-off value; substances meet requirements of B and contain substances with more than two hazard classifications shall choose the lower cut-off value.)
- The cut-off value for skin irritants hazardous chemicals: 1%;
- Hazardous substances with skin absorption should not exceed 1% (if a substance is classified as Category 1: germ cell mutagen or Category 1: carcinogenic to humans, then hazardous substances with skin absorption should not exceed 1%; if a substance is classified as Category 1: reproductive toxicity, then hazardous substances with skin absorption should not exceed 0.3%.)
Further Information:
