Japan upholds limit on PCBs in organic pigments

A joint ministry report has upheld a limit of 50ppm on manufacturing or importing organic pigments that contain byproducts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This is the limit established by the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

The report was published by an investigative commission on behalf of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Environment. Under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL), PCBs are classified as class I specified chemical substances. Manufacturing, importing or using these substances is prohibited.

PCBs are known to be highly toxic to human health and the environment. Used in electrical equipment, inks, coatings and paints, they are generated unintentionally as a secondary product during the manufacturing process.