JP PRTR Act — Reporting Obligation for Chemical Emission and Transfer Volumes
ENFORCEMENT TIMELINE
Effective April 1, 2001 (amended designated substances took effect April 2023; first reporting under the revised list occurred in fiscal 2024)
Overview
Under the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (the PRTR Act), the PRTR system requires businesses to calculate and self-report, once a year, the volume of designated chemical substances they release into the environment (air, water, and soil) and transfer as waste. The aggregated data is published, promoting voluntary management improvements by businesses aimed at reducing the environmental risk of chemical substances, and increasing public understanding.
Enforcement Timeline
1999: The PRTR Act is enacted.
April 1, 2001: The PRTR system begins operation, with the first reporting cycle starting in 2002.
October 2021: A Cabinet Order amendment revises the list of designated substances, expanding the Class I designated chemical substances from 462 to 515.
April 1, 2023: The amended order takes effect, beginning tracking of release and transfer volumes for the newly added substances.
April to June 2024: The first annual reporting cycle under the revised order takes place.
Business Impact
Businesses in covered industries, including manufacturing, mining, electricity and gas, and wholesale, that handle 1 tonne or more per year of a Class I designated chemical substance (515 substances), or 0.5 tonnes or more for specially designated substances, are required to report the previous fiscal year's release and transfer volumes to the national government via the prefectural government each year between April 1 and June 30. Because the reported data is made public, businesses need to manage the reputational implications of disclosure and maintain a system for obtaining accurate content information from upstream suppliers, including through SDS documentation.