METI revises system for labelling harmful chemical substances

TOKYO, JAPAN: The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry in Japan (METI) said it is necessary to indicate the correct information about harmful chemical substances and their handling for safe transactions between business inside and outside Japan involving chemical products. Currently, the act on confirmation of release amounts of specific chemical substances in the environment and promotion of improvements to the management and the industrial safety and health act stipulate the way to indicate such information and others on harmful chemical substances.

METI has revised related ordinances, etc to conform with the global standard globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS) established by the United Nations, as well as to reconcile the standards regarding indications. In order to appropriately manage globally distributed chemical substances, it is effective to clearly convey information on hazardous and harmful chemical substances from the supplier to the recipient by labeling hazardous and harmful information such as flammability and carcinogenicity, through universal classifications or indications.

It is necessary to promote the indication of information about harmful chemical substances and their handling according to GHS, which is substantially becoming a global standard. METI has revised related ordinances and others based on the act on confirmation of release amounts of specific chemical substances in the environment and promotion of improvements to the management.

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