On February 1,2024, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of Environment (MoE) jointly issued a draft on the revision of the Chemical Substance Control Law (CSCL) for public comments closing on March 1,2024. This draft aims to strengthen management of PFOA-related compounds, involving their manufacturing, import, and usage.
Revisions:
- The following substances are designated as Class I specified chemical substances. From the winter of 2024, manufacturing and importing these chemicals will require a permit. In principle, their manufacturing and importing will be prohibited.
| Chemical substance | CAS No. | Numbers in the official gazette |
| Perfluoroalkyl acids (limited to those with a branched structure and a carbon chain of 8) or their salts |
90480-55-0 15166-06-0 90480-56-1 1882109-81-0 1882109-80-9 etc. |
2-1176 2-1195 2-2659 |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid-related substances | ||
| 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8-Heptadecafluoro-8-iodooctane (also known as Perfluorooctyl iodide) | 507-63-1 | 2-90 |
| 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-Heptadecafluorodecane-1-ol (also known as 8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol) | 678-39-7 | 2-2402 |
| A compound containing a perfluoroalkyl group directly bonded to a carbon atom (limited to those with a carbon number of 7), which, through natural processes, produces perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluoroalkane acid (branched in structure and limited to those with a carbon number of 8) |
376-27-2 3108-24-5 33496-48-9 1996-88-9 27905-45-9 etc. |
2-3483 2-3502 etc. |
- The import of products containing PFOA isomers, their salts, and PFOA-related compounds will be prohibited.
| Chemical Substance | Products Prohibited from Import |
| Perfluoroalkyl acids (limited to those with a branched structure and a carbon chain of 8) or their salts |
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| Perfluorooctanoic acid-related substances (Perfluorooctyl iodide, Fluorotelomer alcohol, a compound containing a perfluoroalkyl group directly bonded to a carbon atom (limited to those with a carbon number of 7), which, through natural processes, produces perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluoroalkane acid (branched in structure and limited to those with a carbon number of 8)) |
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- The use of PFOA isomers, their salts, and PFOA-related compounds will be prohibited, except for approved uses.
| Chemical substance | Permitted uses |
| 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8-Heptadecafluoro-8-iodooctane (also known as Perfluorooctyl iodide) | The use of perfluorooctyl iodide (PFOI) for the production of perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) for pharmaceutical manufacturing purposes. |
| 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-Heptadecafluorodecane-1-ol (also known as 8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol) | The use of 8:2 perfluorotetramer alcohol (8:2FTOH) for the production of perfluorooctyl ethyl oxypropyl methacrylate (PFMA) for the manufacturing of invasive and implantable medical devices. |
- Fire extinguishers, fire extinguishing agents, and foam fire extinguishing agents containing PFOA substances shall comply with the specified technical standards to ensure their safety.
